File report on mining impact on Ramtek temple: HC to IBM
Category :
City |
Posted Date :
02/08/2011
NAGPUR: The Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court on Monday asked Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) to file its survey report on impact of mining on the historic Ramtek Gadh temple within two weeks.A division bench of justices Bhushan Dharmadhikari and Pramode Kode asked the court registrar to convey this message to IBM office in the city. IBM`s name came after Public Works Department cited its survey report to inform the court that there was a negative impact of vibrations on the structure of the historic temple due to mining activities by Manganese Ore India Limited (MOIL).The court`s direction came while hearing a suo motu plea over the dilapidated condition of the historic temple, thronged by lakhs of devotees every year, that is on the verge of collapse owing to lack of maintenance. Anand Jaiswal was appointed as amicus curiae in the petition. A Ramtek resident Amit Khot had also filed a PIL through Shrikant Khandalkar citing various media reports which mentioned that over 700-year-old historical temple belongs to Wakatak regime when other temples like Kewal Narsimha and Rudra Narsimha came into existence.During last hearing, the state Department of Archaeology had submitted an affidavit stating that the government had approved Avantika Chitnavis of Vidarbha Heritage Society as an architect and expert advisor for strengthening work of the hillock on which the temple is based. She had suggested some changes to the designs drafted by an expert panel for the conservation and development of the temple. Earlier, the court asked the government to constitute an experts committee which will draft plans for the conservation and development of the temple. The collector was told to prevent sand excavation from the mountain on which the 700-year-old historical temple is located.Last year, the archaeology department had erected a wall fencing throughout the complex. Ironically, the authorities without any permission from the competent authority, illegally excavated the hills that resulted in severe damage to the heritage structure. These activities also resulted in erosion of the hill on which the monument is standing.
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