Temple committee members demand retrieval of land from encroachers

Women members cook ‘pongal' on the middle of the road

Members of the Committee for the Retrieval of Periya Mariamman Temple Land cooking pongal on the Thiruvenkatasamy street in Erode on Thursday.—PHOTO: M. GOVARTHAN

Members of the Committee for the Retrieval of Periya Mariamman Temple Land cooked ‘pongal' (sweet rice) on the middle of the road here on Thursday urging the State government to initiate immediate efforts to retrieve the lands belonging to the temple from encroachers.

A number of women members set up temporary ovens on the Thiruvenkatasamy Street and cooked the sweet rice. They wanted the government to remove the encroachments on the lands belonging to the Periya Mariamman temple.

The committee members also wanted the government to implement the 80-feet-road project to ease the traffic congestion in the town. If implemented, it would establish better road connectivity between the Erode Railway Junction and Brough road, they pointed out.

Earlier, the members took out a procession, which was flagged off on the Eshwaran Temple premises. Committee president Chandrasekar led the procession. Police had made heavy security arrangements. Superintendent of Police S. Paner Selvam and senior officials monitored the arrangements.

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