Muzarai dept to evict encroachments of temple lands

Bengaluru : The Waqf Board’s recent notice regarding the confiscation of properties in the state has sparked significant controversy. With the Waqf properties issue already creating a stir due to disputes over land acquisition, the state’s Muzarai Department has now stepped in, taking action to protect temple lands.

The Waqf Board’s notice, claiming farmers’ lands as Waqf properties, has caused a major uproar across the state. In several districts, the Waqf Board had issued urgent notices for the confiscation of properties, using its authority to reclaim Waqf land. In the midst of this, the Muzarai Department is now focused on protecting the land assets belonging to temples, which span thousands of acres across the state. The department has begun efforts to clear these lands from illegal occupation.

In a recent meeting chaired by Minister Ramalinga Reddy, the State Religious Affairs Council decided to conduct a survey of temple lands under the Muzarai Department and to remove encroachments. The Muzarai Department was instructed to ensure that all records were updated and that the lands were properly protected.

Separate meetings have been held by the Hindu Religious Endowment Department with its officials, instructing them to survey temple properties and take action to clear encroachments. Currently, a survey is underway in Bengaluru Urban district to identify encroached temple lands and to prioritize their clearance. The Revenue Department’s surveyors have been instructed to assist with the survey process.

If any encroachment on temple properties is found, the department will take legal action under the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Act to remove the encroachments and restore the land to the temples. For years, many temple lands have been encroached upon, with buildings and homes constructed by the encroachers. The department has instructed officials to first identify the properties and to mark the temple lands with a “pension” (a demarcation) to prevent further encroachments. Legal action will be pursued to clear encroached lands once the survey is completed.

The Muzarai Department aims to have a precise record of encroached lands and ensure their clearance within the next couple of months. Senior officials have confirmed that the department is actively working on compiling the exact details of encroached temple lands.

As of March this year, the Department of Religious Endowments provided information on the properties under its jurisdiction, classified as “Grade A” and “Grade B” temples. According to this data, Grade A temples own a total of 6,323 acres of land across 205 temples, while Grade B temples control 1,555 acres across 193 temples.

Among these, Bengaluru Rural has approximately 1,037.56 acres, Belagavi has 1,164.35 acres, and Bengaluru Urban holds around 140 acres of temple land. Other significant temple land holdings include Raichur (1,102 acres), Kalaburagi (216 acres), Bidar (186 acres), Chamarajanagar (104.30 acres), Mysuru (506.09 acres), and Tumakuru (276 acres).

As of now, approximately 243 Muzarai temples across the state have been identified as having encroached lands. The survey is ongoing, and detailed data regarding the exact extent of encroachment is being compiled. Muzarai Department officials have stated that precise figures will be available within a couple of months. The department has instructed officials to cross-check land records and, where necessary, update the ownership to the name of the temple under the relevant religious endowment laws. If any discrepancies are found, the authorities will take steps to rectify the records in court.

Preliminary data suggests that approximately 30 Grade A temples have encroached lands, 12 Grade B temples have encroachments, and around 201 Grade C temples are similarly affected. Notably, Hassan district has reported encroachments in 75 temples, and BBMP areas in Bengaluru have identified encroachments in 35 temples. Other districts like Ramanagara, Bengaluru Urban, Chikkamagaluru, and Mysuru have also reported varying levels of encroachments on temple properties.

The Muzarai Department is making significant strides in protecting temple lands from encroachment, with a thorough survey underway to identify and remove illegal occupation. This comes at a crucial time when the state is dealing with ongoing land disputes involving Waqf properties, and the department is determined to ensure the preservation of temple assets for future generations.