By Express News Service

KARWAR: Following a directive from the Karnataka High Court, the Uttara Kannada district administration on Wednesday took over the Sri Mahabaleshwara temple of Gokarna. For the last 10 years, the temple was under the administration of Sri Ramachandrapur Mutt of Shivamogga and now it has been handed over to the Overseeing Committee headed by Uttara Kannada Deputy Commissioner S S Nakul.

The temple was administered by trustees for several years. However, on August 12, 2008, the then Yeddyurappa government decided to hand over the management of the temple to the Ramachandrapur Mutt.

Last month, the HC ordered the mutt to hand over the temple back to the Endowment Department. Challenging the HC order, the mutt had approached the apex court which upheld the HC judgment.

According to the HC order, the district administration was supposed to take charge of the temple on September 10 after finishing inventory of properties of the temple. But there was confusion over the SC order and hence the DC asked for clarifications from the state government.

After getting the clarifications from the auditor general, the state ordered the DC to take charge of the temple on Wednesday. DC Nakul, along with Additional DC Suresh Itnal, Kumta Assistant Commissioner Lakshmi Priya and others visited the temple on Wednesday. Before taking charge, the DC inspected the ornaments at the temple, bank and property details.

According to sources, the HC itself formed the Overseeing Committee and made the DC its chairman. The panel comprises district SP and Kumta Assistant Commissioner and it has advised the state government to appoint scholars.