28,000 temples await Karnataka’s help to free them of encroachments

BENGALURU: The words ‘Government work is God’s work’ are inscribed on the walls of Vidhana Soudha, the seat of power in Karnataka.  But the government is not able to depute people to take up God’s work. It is finding it difficult to protect thousands of temples from encroachment. Reason: The State Endowment Department is facing an acute shortage of land surveyors which is affecting the survey work
of the temples. There are 34,559 temples which come under the department.

“As on November 30, 2022, survey work has been completed on properties of only 5,720 temples and 302 acres of land has been found encroached. There are 28,000 temples more where survey work has not even begun. We do not know the extent of encroachment, but it is huge,” said sources from the department.

Of the temples that come under the Endowment Department, 205 are Class A (whose annual revenue is above Rs 25 lakh), 193 are Class B (annual income between Rs 5 and Rs 25 lakh) and the remaining are Class C temples (annual income less than Rs 5 lakh). The state government admits that there is encroachment in the properties belonging to state-owned temples.

Endowment Minister Shashikala Jolle told The New Indian Express that she has directed district Deputy Commissioners across the state to monitor and safeguard properties of temples by carrying out survey and subsequently undertake encroachment clearance drives. Committees have been formed at state and district levels.

Minister Jolle said the delay is due lack of surveyors in the Land Survey Department itself. “I have instructed all district authorities to take the help of private licensed surveyors. We are also planning to use digital technology to carry out the survey,” she said.