District administration officials measuring a plot of land at Sipasarubali mauza allotted to Iskcon in Puri Thursday. op photo
Post News Network
Puri: A government plot measuring 6.87 acre is in the possession of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon) at Sipasarubali mauza here, according to officials of the district administration who measured the land concerned in the area Thursday.
Sources said the international religious outfit had proposed to construct a temple on 30.99 acres at Sipasarubali mauza. “It was found during today’s measurement of land that the boundary wall and gate constructed at the project site are on government land. Similarly, the approach road to the site is also constructed on government land,” said an official of the district administration.
The measurement of the landed properties of Iskcon was carried out as per the direction of district collector Aravind Agarwal. It was found that Iskcon authorities have piled up construction materials including stones on government land. However, the ownership of the land on which the foundation stone has been laid for the temple project lies with the religious outfit, said officials.
Acting upon the direction of Agarwal, a team comprising officer on special duty at the sub-collector’s office, Kedarnath Pati; Goruala revenue inspector Nagendranath Panda; amins Brahmanand Swain and Prashant Biswal; and peshkar Prashant Chahat measured the land. “We have submitted a report on the land measurement to the sub-collector,” Pati said.
Sources said Iskcon had acquired 30.99 acres including a government plot measuring 8.43 acres at Sipasarubali a few years ago. The district administration had directed its officials to reclaim the government land from the possession of Iskcon in 2014.
Government officials, however, had managed to reclaim only 1.56 acres. They could not reclaim the rest due to a stay order pronounced by Orissa High Court, said sources.