Chennai: Devotees of the Sri Sakthi Muthamman temple in Neelankarai, on East Coast Road, approached the Madras High Court seeking a direction to halt the department of fisheries from constructing an office block, compound wall, modern fish market and fish stall on the temple land.
While passing interim orders, the bench, comprising Chief Justice R.K. Agrawal and Justice K. Ravichandra Baabu, ordered maintenance of status quo in respect of constructing buildings on the temple land.
Petitioner S. Guhan of Shenoy nagar, submitted that the temple has been in existence for more than 200 years and local residents offered worship at the temple regularly. The vacant land around the temple was required for conducting temple festivals and religious functions.
As per revenue records, in 1951, the department earmarked 2.03 acres for the temple. In 1963, assistant director of fisheries (marine), Neelankarai, had set up an ice factory on a portion of the land. A few years later, this was closed down and the place remained unoccupied for the past four decades.
The abandoned building was converted into an office of the fisheries department and has been functioning for the last few decades. The department has now decided to construct a compound wall to take into possession the entire 2.03 acres to construct a fish marker and fish eatery on the temple land.
The fisheries department had halted the move to set up the fish stall following stiff opposition from the local residents. The department had reportedly awarded a contract worth '20 crore for setting up an office block and modern fish marker on the temple premises. The petitioner submitted that the move would affect cultural and religious rights of the people. Hence, the petitioner approached the Madras high court.
