[in-enaction] religious illegality

on behalf of poonam prakash, apologies for cross-posting

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I found this news item and am interested to find more. Right now I am
posting it for record till I find some more information on it.

poonam



The Tribune, Feb. 10, 2003.

Religious bodies on mat for usurping land
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 9
The court has issued notices to the Centre and Delhi Government on a
petition alleging that several religious societies in the Capital have
encroached upon government and park land to erect temple, mosque and
gurdwara and were carrying out illegal commercial activity, threatening
the ecology of the area.

A Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Devinder Gupta and Justice B D
Ahmed directed the Centre, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and the
Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to file replies on the issue of
illegal takeover of the park lands in south Delhi by the religious
societies of different faiths and fixed the next date of hearing on
April one.

The petition filed by the United Communist Party of India (UCPI) drew
the attention of court to the land earmarked for the construction of a
rock garden in Chittaranjan Park, allegedly encroached upon by the Kali
Mandir Society and the alleged unauthorised construction of a temple in
a park land in Greater Kailash-II. Likewise, a mosque has been built on
government land in Alaknanda area and a gurdwara has been allegedly
constructed in another park in Chittaranjan Park, the UCPI alleged.

UCPI counsel Sugriva Dubey and Namita submitted that the usurping of the
park land and uprooting of the trees was in violation of the Delhi
Protection of Trees Act. The petition alleged that allowing the
religious societies to use the government land meant for parks for any
other purpose would be a violation of Delhi's Master Plan. The
petitioner claimed that the respondents, in connivance with the land
grabbers, have offered the religious societies land at throwaway prices.


On the land meant for the rock garden, the self-styled religious society
was running a canteen and a generator installed on the premises had been
causing large-scale air and noise pollution, the UCPI said, adding that
the authorities are regularising the illegal construction measuring
about 3.855 acres in the rock garden complex.

The UCPI submitted that under the Environment Protection Act, the Centre
has powers to take steps to protect and improve the environment.

I found this news item and am interested to find more. Right now I am posting it for record till I find some more information on it.

poonam

 

The Tribune, Feb. 10, 2003.

Religious bodies on mat for usurping land
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 9
The court has issued notices to the Centre and Delhi Government on a petition alleging that several religious societies in the Capital have encroached upon government and park land to erect temple, mosque and gurdwara and were carrying out illegal commercial activity, threatening the ecology of the area.

A Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Devinder Gupta and Justice B D Ahmed directed the Centre, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to file replies on the issue of illegal takeover of the park lands in south Delhi by the religious societies of different faiths and fixed the next date of hearing on April one.

The petition filed by the United Communist Party of India (UCPI) drew the attention of court to the land earmarked for the construction of a rock garden in Chittaranjan Park, allegedly encroached upon by the Kali Mandir Society and the alleged unauthorised construction of a temple in a park land in Greater Kailash-II. Likewise, a mosque has been built on government land in Alaknanda area and a gurdwara has been allegedly constructed in another park in Chittaranjan Park, the UCPI alleged.

UCPI counsel Sugriva Dubey and Namita submitted that the usurping of the park land and uprooting of the trees was in violation of the Delhi Protection of Trees Act. The petition alleged that allowing the religious societies to use the government land meant for parks for any other purpose would be a violation of Delhi?s Master Plan. The petitioner claimed that the respondents, in connivance with the land grabbers, have offered the religious societies land at throwaway prices.

On the land meant for the rock garden, the self-styled religious society was running a canteen and a generator installed on the premises had been causing large-scale air and noise pollution, the UCPI said, adding that the authorities are regularising the illegal construction measuring about 3.855 acres in the rock garden complex.

The UCPI submitted that under the Environment Protection Act, the Centre has powers to take steps to protect and improve the environment. 

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