Govt still studying the proposal to free Hindu temples from state control: Minister Shashikala Jolle
Bengaluru, Feb 3: Karnataka Minister for Muzrai (Hindu religious endowment) Shashikala Jolle on Thursday said the government is still studying the proposal to free Hindu temples from state control.
A delegation of priests met the Minister today and gave her a memorandum urging the government to drop the idea of freeing Hindu temples.
"We are still studying on freeing temples, we are trying to understand about the situation in other states and how they are doing. I have also discussed with the Chief Minister," Jolle said.
Speaking to reporters here, she said priests have already held discussions with her two-three times in this regard.
Stating that she along with the Chief Minister are in favour of the priests, the Minister said "they have also asked for increase in tasdik (compensation for land vested with the government). It is a rightful demand, we have prepared a proposal in this regard and I will discuss with CM on this very soon."
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai in December had said that the Karnataka government will bring in a law aimed at freeing Hindu temples from laws and rules that control them at present.
Speaking to reporters after meeting with the Minister, priests said if the government brings in the proposed law to free temples from the state control, it will cause more harm to the temples.
"Kings had given land to temples, if they are freed now it will be difficult. There are properties worth lakhs of crores (of rupees), who will protect them? If they form a trust, will they take care of it? It will lead to lots of problems, so our opinion is that this should not be done," a priest, who was a member of the delegation, said.
A total of 34,563 temples in the state come under Muzrai department, and they have been categorized as grade A, B and C, based on their revenue generation.
A total of 207 temples with annual revenue above Rs 25 lakh come under category A, 139 temples between Rs 5 lakh to Rs 25 lakh come under category B, and 34,217 temples with less than Rs 5 lakh annual revenue under category C.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
