Guwahati, April 4: Gauhati High Court has asked the Assam government to respond to a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking a direction to the state against proceeding with the construction of the proposed ‘Maa Kamakhya Temple Access Corridor’ without obtaining prior approval and clearance from the archaeology department under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act,1958.
Notably, the order was issued in response to the PIL seeking an appropriate writ, order or direction by the court to the respondents to issue a white paper regarding the ‘Maa Kamakhya Temple Access Corridor.’
The petitioners had sought the approval under the Act keeping in view the protection and preservation of the historically important and ancient monuments on the temple’s premises.
Making the judgment last Tuesday, a two-judge bench of the High Court granted two weeks’ time to the state government to file its response and listed the next hearing of the petition on April 22.
“Having heard the learned counsel for the petitioner, we deem it appropriate to issue notice to the state of Assam to file their response to the writ petition. D. Nath, learned Senior Government Advocate, Assam assisting D. Saikia, learned Advocate General, Assam, accepts notice on behalf of the state of Assam. Two weeks’ time is granted to file the response,” the court order read.
The senior advocate, appearing for the petitioners, had told the Court that the Kamakhya Temple has its own importance not only nationally but internationally and that there was concern (among worshippers) that the original structure could be damaged during excavation, construction of the basement or broadening of the staircases leading to the temple.
The advocate submitted that since the deities in Kamakhya Temple have not been installed manually, they are natural deities (all natural water springs barring two), and if there is some damage, another similar structure cannot be reinstalled.
