Temple tanks need help

R.Srikanth and Lavanya.M

Sewage inflow, dumping of waste major issues, says report

CHENNAI: All 34 temple tanks in the city and surrounding areas require renovation work of some kind, as per a status report prepared by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Department (HR and CE).

While some of the tanks remain dry in summer, the biggest problem faced in the maintenance of these tanks, according to the report prepared by the department is the dumping of waste and letting of sewage. The present state is due to lack of awareness among public about the crucial role played by these tanks, an official says.

The purpose of temple tanks is not confined to celebrating float festivals. They serve the larger purpose of recharging groundwater. “These tanks have the ability to recharge the surrounding area within a radius of about 500 metres,” says Madhavi Ganesan, associate professor, Centre for Water Resources, Anna University.

“Temple tanks in the city are a mechanism for harvesting rainwater. In a city that receives an annual rainfall of close to 1,200 mm, these tanks can be optimally utilised. The rainwater that falls in the temple and the surrounding areas can be diverted into the tank, and this will help satisfy most of the water requirements,” she says.

Coordinated effort

“The renovation of temple tanks involves a coordinated job. Only with the help of the Chennai Corporation and the Chennai Metrowater, the tanks can be safeguarded,” says an official from HR and CE.

The inlets system of certain tanks is also not well planned as many have been blocked in the face of urbanisation.

“The Marundeeswarar temple tank in Thiruvanmiyur has a stormwater drain directed to the temple without any treatment facility. The tank is now half full of putrid water,” says Sreedhar Subramanian, a member of Valmiki Nagar Residents' Welfare Association.

“Another issue is the clay bed laid as a result of which the temple tank does not seem to act as a percolation tank,” he adds.

Voluntary organisations

But, some of the community members have woken up to the importance of rainwater harvesting and come forward to improve the situation.

The residents near the Arkeeswarar temple in Pammal, pooled in money and with assistance from certain voluntary organisations restored the tank to its original state.

“We have ensured that rainwater that falls in the surrounding areas of the tank is first directed into a smaller tank where the sediments settle down, after which it flows into the temple tank. Before the project, the tank was filthy, but now it is clean and regularly maintained by the authorities. The biggest advantage has been that the water level in wells in the surrounding areas has improved considerably,” says S. Indra Kumar, a resident of Pammal.

http://www.hindu.com/2011/06/13/stories/2011061359550300.htm 

HC criticises collector for 'supporting' encroacher

The HINDU
Mohamed Imranullah S.
Wednesday, Feb 16, 2011


Bench quashes orders passed by Land Administration Commissioner, Collector
‘Contention that the temple is not in need of the land cannot be accepted'


MADURAI: The Madras High Court Bench here on Tuesday criticised the Commissioner of Land Administration as well as Thanjavur Collector for “supporting” an individual who had encroached upon 1,250 sq.ft., of land belonging to Karpaga Vinayagar temple at Vanakkara street in Maharnombu Chavadi for the last 72 years and built a toilet on the property thereby demeaning the sanctity of the place.


Allowing a writ petition filed by one of the temple trustees, a Division Bench comprising Justice N.Paul Vasanthakumar and Justice R.Subbiah directed the encroacher to hand over the land to the district administration within eight weeks. The Collector, in turn, was ordered to give away the possession of the property to the temple authorities within two weeks thereafter.


The Bench also quashed orders passed by the Land Administration Commissioner as well as the Thanjavur Collector on December 20, 2007 and April 25, 2005 respectively. In those orders, the officials had held that the individual, who was in occupation of the temple land for more than seven decades, need not be evicted for the present as the temple was not in urgent need of that piece of land.


The judges wondered how the two officers could take such a view when Board of Revenue as well as the civil courts had given categorical findings against the encroacher. “In the case on hand, the encroacher is promoting his private interest, which is also unfortunately supported by the Collector and the Commissioner who are bound to protect the interest of the temple than supporting the cause of an individual,” they said.


Writing the judgement, Mr.Justice Vasanthakumar also said: “The contention of the District Collector and the Commissioner that the temple is not in need of the land cannot be accepted. The temple lands and the land appurtenant thereto are to be enjoyed by the devotees/worshippers of the temple and it cannot be used by any encroacher, that too, for constructing a toilet.”


In his affidavit, the petitioner, T.K. Saminathan, said that 27 cents of land in Maharnombu Chavadi of Thanjavur town was classified as ‘temple poromboke' during settlement operations when the area was taken over under the Tamil Nadu Estates Abolition and Conversion of Ryotwari Act, 1948. Then, Veerapillai, a bus driver, encroached upon 1,250 sq.ft., of that land.


The matter was taken up with the Tahsildar, Revenue Divisional Officer and the District Revenue Officer. It ultimately culminated in an order passed by the Revenue Board on April 25, 1976 against the encroacher. Subsequently, the Thiruvaiyaru District Munsif Court dismissed a civil suit filed by the encroacher in 1983. An appeal was also dismissed by the Thanjavur Sub-Court in 1986. The High Court too, in 1999, dismissed a second appeal filed by the encroacher. Thereafter, disposing of a writ petition filed by the temple trustee in 2004, the High Court directed the Collector to initiate necessary action on basis of the civil court decrees.


http://www.hindu.com/2011/02/16/stories/2011021651270600.htm 
http://claim-for-commons.blogspot.in/2011/12/news-article-karnatakahc-criticises.html

Temple management institute planned

Special Correspondent

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Nigama-Agama Parishad will be established which will function as apex body for agama schools

Proposed Dharmika Parishad will make policy decisions on temples in the State

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HYDERABAD: An institute of temple management will be set up here to train Endowment Department employees for proper management of temples in the State.

In line with the amendments made to the Endowments Act recently, a Nigama-Agama Parishad will also be established in the city to function as apex body for the existing and future “Agama schools” that offer archaka courses. This apart, a Dharmika Parishad would come up to make policy decisions on temples.

Endowments Minister J. Ratnakar Rao told reporters here on Thursday that in addition to the existing 10 Agama schools in the State, eight more would be opened shortly at Basar, Dharmapuri, Vaikuntapuram, Nalgonda (Venugopala Swamy temple), Kasapur, Kanipakam, Arsavalli and Anakapalle, each attached to a famous temple, with about 20 students each.

Students, on successful completion of the six-year course, would be given Rs 1 lakh in cash each, and appointment orders as archakas.

Policy decision

I.V. Subba Rao, Principal Secretary, Revenue (Endowments), and P. Sundar Kumar, Commissioner, Endowments, who were present, said a policy decision had been taken to ensure free darshan in all the temples, and make coconut and prasadams like laddu, pulihora, for an uniform price of Rs 5 each. A four per cent commission would be allowed to “ksharakarmas” for tonsuring.

Executive officers

Mr. Ratnakar Rao said efforts were on to appoint executive officers to all the 34,000-odd temples in the State, small and big. Already, the Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission had been sounded on this.

He put the total income from temples in the State at Rs 300 crore annually.

http://www.hindu.com/2007/12/14/stories/2007121458180200.htm 

Sixteen Temple Renovations Completed in Tamil Nadu

CHENNAI, INDIA, July 2, 2004: The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR and CE) Minister, P.C. Ramasamy, today said kumbhabishekams for 16 temples would be performed as per a revised schedule, after completing the renovation work. Denying reports that kumbhabishekams for 83 temples had been postponed, he said in a statement here that fresh dates had been announced, giving adequate time for completing the ongoing renovation work, as announced by the HR and CE department earlier. Meanwhile, an official release said spiritual personalities and devotees had expressed the view that it would be ideal to conduct kumbhabishekams for temples under the purview of the HR and CE department after the completion of renovation work as per Agama rules. Though the schedule for kumbhabishekams at some temples was already announced, the department had made it clear that the ceremony would be performed as per the revised schedule, only after completing the task of desilting, cleaning and renovating temple tanks.

As per the revised schedule, the following 11 temples are allowed to perform kumbhabishekam on August 22: Ramalingaswamy temple (Shenbaganallur); Thondargal Nainar temple (Tirunelveli district); Santhiveerappan temple (Urayur); Veeraperumal Ayyanar Sastha temple (Pattapuliyur); Kailasanathar temple (Kanniyakudi); Annapoornambika Sametha Ardhanareeswarar temple (Periyapalayam); Anandeeswarar temple (Adanchur); Anandeeswarar temple (Udayakkudi); Varasakthi Vinayakar temple (Chennai-3); Iravatheeswarar temple (Darasuram); and Varasakthi Vinayakar temple (Chennai-18). Five other temples -- Karpagavinayakar temple (Pillayarpatti); Prasanna Venkatesaperumal temple (Gunaseelam); Kapaleeswarar temple (Mylapore); Marundeeswarar temple (Tiruvanmiyur); and Agatheeswarar temple (Panchatti) -- have been permitted to perform kumbhabishekams on March 17, 2005, the release said.

http://hindu.org/blogs-news/hindu-press-international/sixteen-temple-renovations-completed-in-tamil-nadu/4163.html

Temple tanks in Tamil Nadu to harvest rainwater

Even as Tamil Nadu demands much-needed water from neighbouring Karnataka, people in this state are renovating disused water tanks in temples in an effort to conserve the precious resource

The coastal landscape of Tamil Nadu is dotted with temples. Around 4,000 temples traditionally had water tanks that were used for various rituals. The tanks also served as natural aquifers and helped recharge groundwater.

Over the years, however, many of these tanks have gone out of use. Overflowing mounds of silt and garbage have replaced the water in them.

Now, following sustained campaigns by voluntary organisations and departments in charge of water distribution and use, authorities in Chennai have decided to restore around 40 major temple tanks in the city. The aim is to convert the tanks into catchments for rainwater harvesting.

Hindu religious and charitable endowments in charge of the temples have begun a clean-up act in some major temples and called for tenders to repair the tanks.

The drive began with the Parthasarathy and Kapaleewswar temples. In Tiruchirapally, a tank at the Rockfort temple is also being kept clean.

Municipality authorities and the water department have initiated projects to de-silt tanks with the help of volunteers from the community.

The roads and highways department too has got into the act, studying the feasibility of diverting rainwater from storm-water drains on state and national highways and major road networks into the temple tanks.

In the case of the Marundeeswara temple, a 10th century Siva temple in Thiruvanmiyur, the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) and the Rotary Club are working to revive the tanks, which are now completely dry.

The Rotary Club first renovated the tanks 10 years ago, but because of the lack of maintenance they soon turned into garbage dumps for a vegetable market nearby.

INTACH has even produced a short film on its efforts so far and is showing it free to local communities. The film records the memories of local residents, some of whom say that until the 1970s one could even fish in the temple tanks.

“The film is the first step in our community awareness programme,” says P T Krishnan, an INTACH official.

“The implementation of the rainwater harvesting scheme will automatically raise the tank water level and recharge groundwater in the area,” Krishnan adds.

Chennai corporation chief engineer M Bhoopal and deputy mayor Karate Thyagarajan are overseeing the clean-up operation at the Marundeeswara temple.

“At least four other temple tanks, including the Parthasarathy temple tank, are being cleaned for rainwater harvesting,” says Bhoopal.

The Marundeeswara temple is a test site. Every Saturday and Sunday, for several weeks now, dozens of volunteers armed with shovels descend into the 1,60,000-square-foot tank and work to clean it for four-five hours.

“Soon the surplus flow will be able to meet the needs of this water-starved but densely populated region,” says Bhoopal.

Another voluntary organisation, Pasumai Thayagam, or Green Motherland, is also initiating efforts to restore temple tanks and adopt an integrated approach to water management.

The group has taken up the task of restoring and rehabilitating around 1,000 tanks and ponds throughout the state, with help from the community.

“It is critical to protect conventional water resources like tanks and ponds for sustainable development, and stop surface water run-off into the sea, through the development of micro watersheds and check-dams,” says coordinator R Anbumani.

Pasumai Thayagam showcased its efforts at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in September and received an enthusiastic response.

Source: [I]The Times of India, [/I]October 17, 2002

http://infochangeindia.org/environment/news/temple-tanks-in-tamil-nadu-to-harvest-rainwater.html