“Special drive by HR & CE to restore usurped temple properties”

A number of temples, coming under the control of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR & CE), are going in for solar energy in a bid to bring down their dependence on conventional energy by 10 to 20 per cent, said P. Dhanapal, Commissioner for HR & CE.

Talking to The Hindu, Mr.Dhanapal said that a 20 KVA solar power plant installed at the Tiruchendur Subramania Swamy Temple with the support of Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency (TEDA) is all set for commissioning.

At present, works for installation of 10 KVA solar power generation panels are being taken up at the Thanumalayan temple and Kumari Amman temple in Kanyakumari, Aranganathaswamy temple in Sri Rangam, Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai, Tiruttani Subramania Swamy temple and in 25 other smaller and medium temples across the State.

In addition, installation of solar power generation panels with a capacity of two to five KVA is being taken up at Triplicane Parthasarathy temple, Vadapalani Murugan temple and Mylapore Kapaleeswarar temple. Once the projects are commissioned, the temples can bring down their dependence on conventional power by about ten to 20 per cent.

After seeing the benefits out of these initiatives, the scheme for tapping solar power for all other temples and for capacity of augmentation of solar power generation for the temples would be taken up in a phased manner. This is being done in accordance with the recent solar energy policy announced by the Chief Minister Ms.Jayalalithaa.

Going by the increasing number of cows being donated to temples across the State by devotees as their offering, cow shelters (‘goshala’) are being established at Mylapore Kapaleeswarar temple, Thiruvanmiyur Marundeeswarar temple, Palani Dhandayuthapani Swamy Temple, Tiruchendur Subramania Swamy temple, Sri Rangam Aranganathaswamy temple, Rameswaram Ramanatha Swamy temple. The temples were donated cows are in excess they are being given away to women self-help groups and temple priests.

With regard to restoration of temple properties usurped by individuals and those under encroachment, Mr.Dhanapal said that 822.21 acres of temple lands that were under encroachment have been retrieved besides 185 house sites. The drive in the last two-years also helped in demolition of buildings that were on temple lands.