The Madras High Court today criticised the government for not having a list of temples constructed more than 100 years ago.
"You do not have the list. What is your Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department doing? We want a person who can execute the work perfectly", Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice T S Sivagnanam told the counsel for government on a batch of PILs against renovation of temples carried out without considering archaeological and sculpture values.
The counsel for petitioners submitted that they have submitted a list of names of persons who are experts in temple rituals and practises and the government is not considering it.
P S Raman who heads the team of experts, appointed by the court to check damages caused to temples due to renovation, submitted that structures of several temples, including the 1000-year-old Sri Rangam were found damaged due to cement plastering and installation of electrical fittings.
The bench told Additional Advocate General P H Arvind Pandian that some parameters should be laid for renovation or any work that has to be carried out in temples. We have to preserve heritage structures and there should be a collective role, the bench said.
Heritage temples with archaeological and religious significance shall be identified, maintained and renovation carried out in a manner to ensure that no damage is caused, the bench said.
"Even for the renovation of the High Court, we have taken the recourse of other agencies to carry out the work in the manner to maintain the original glory", the court observed and posted the case for further hearing to November 30.
