Temples in Karnataka lost Rs 600 cr during lockdown: Minister
Mangaluru: The temples coming under the Muzrai department in Karnataka suffered a loss of Rs 600 crore revenue during the lockdown period due to the pandemic, state Muzrai Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary said Monday.
Addressing reporters here, he said the Kollur Sri Mookambika temple alone lost revenue of at least Rs 14 crore during April and May.
Around 300 A and B grade temples under Muzrai (Hindu religious institutions and charitable endowments) department in the state lost around 35 percent of their annual income, he said.
The state government had earlier allowed temples to reopen from Monday but later postponed it to June 8 in keeping with the new directions of the Centre.
The minister said the governments 'Saptapadi mass marriage program in temples, postponed due to the lockdown, will be held as per the new guidelines issued by the government.
Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa has given permission to hold the program.
The marriages are proposed to be held in batches with 50 people in attendance at different timings, he said.
The minister said around five lakh food packets were distributed from temples in Dakshina Kannada during the lockdown period.
Poojary, Dakshina Kannada district-in-charge, said all precautionary measures have been taken ahead of the monsoon to protect lives and property in the district in view of the forecast of a heavy downpour.
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Drug peddler's property worth Rs 1 crore attached in Srinagar
Srinagar (PTI): Property worth Rs 1 crore belonging to a notorious drug peddler was on Saturday attached in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar, police said.
A double-storey house on eight marlas of land situated at Wantpora Eidgah, belonging to Basit Bilal Dar, a notorious drug peddler, valued at approximately Rs 1 crore, a police spokesperson said.
He said Dar is involved in two cases registered under various sections of the NDPS Act.
During investigation, it was established that the accused had acquired the said property through illicit proceeds generated from drug trafficking activities, the spokesperson said.
Consequently, the property was attached under the provisions of the NDPS Act. The attachment proceedings were conducted in the presence of the two independent witnesses, strictly in accordance with the prescribed legal procedures, he said.
As per the attachment order, the owner has been restrained from selling, leasing, transferring, altering, or creating any third-party interest in the property till further orders, the spokesperson added.
