SC gives six weeks for anti-encroachment plan

Feb 17, 2010

New Delhi, Feb. 16: As some states, including Andhra Pradesh feared that the removal of all the religious places built illegally on public land could result in a major law and order problem, the Supreme Court on Tuesday set a deadline of six weeks for all the states and Union Territories to lay down comprehensive policy to prevent the encroachment of government land by religious institutions.

While asking the states and UTs to file affidavits on the formulation of the policy within eight weeks, a Bench of Justices Dalveer Bhandari and K.S. Radhakrishnan directed that in their affidavits should clearly state what steps had been taken to remove or relocate the existing religious structures, including temples, mosques, churches and gurdwaras built by encroaching the public land. The policy framed by every state and UT must clearly indicate whether they wanted to remove, relocate or demolish a particular religious place.

The Court issued the direction to enforce its order of December 7, 2009 banning construction of any religious place on government land illegally after receiving the replies from all the states except Uttrakhand, which was given 15 days to file an affidavit.

Some states, including Andhra Pradesh expressed apprehension about law and order problem if all such religious places are removed as people’s religious sentiments were involved. The AP government in its affidavit stated that it had identified a total of 647 religious structures built on footpaths in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation area alone.

Age Correspondent

http://www.asianage.com/content/sc-gives-six-weeks-anti-encroachment-plan