Having failed to protect temple lands continuously, the Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments department should at least now put in efforts to recover more than 50,000 acres of encroached temple land, said Madras high court on Monday.
Justice R Mahadevan, relying on a recent survey which revealed that out of 5.25 lakh acres of temple land on record a few years ago, only 4.78 acres existed now, directed the department to issue public notices informing the persons in possession of such properties to voluntarily surrender them to avoid penal action.

No doubt, the HR&CE being the competent authority to regulate the affairs of the temples in the state, and having failed continuously for a considerable amount of time, should now take appropriate steps to retrieve such properties,” said the judge.

“Properties of religious institutions, more particularly temple properties, have to be maintained properly in order to derive more income to spend for the betterment of temples. It is very pertinent to point out that when the properties belonging to temples are not properly maintained, then the revenue cannot be derived therefrom and it would not be in the interest of such temples,” he said....Read more

Source web page:Times of India