West Bengal govt asks 8 DMs to remove ‘unauthorised’ temples, shrines from public places

The West Bengal government asked DMs of eight districts-- Darjeeling, Alipurduar, Coochbehar, Kalimpong, East Midnapore, North 24 pgs, East Burdwan-- to take action against the "unauthorised temples and shrines from all public places”.

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New Delhi: The West Bengal government wrote to district magistrates (DMs) of eight districts asking them to remove “all unauthorised temples and shrines from all public places”.

In an order dated January 27, 2022, the state government asked DMs of these eight districts Darjeeling, Alipurduar, Coochbehar, Kalimpong, East Midnapore, North 24 Parganas and East Burdwan to take action against the "unauthorised" structures. The order further directed that the district administration should exercise caution while removing such structures.

As per the government order issued in April 2010, “The Government will not allow any new unauthorized constructions in public places. The State, Government Departments and Local Bodies such as Panchayats and Municipalities will be alert enough to detect and stop such constructions at the earliest stage, before the structure gains public acceptance. The demolition, if it is necessary, will be the responsibility of the Department owning the land." 

The government had said that these structures must be demolished unless there are compelling reasons for not doing so. The order had also asked government departments and local bodies to carry out a survey of public places to identify 'unauthorized religious structures' and prepare a report which had to be submitted by July 31, 2010. 

The survey had to be conducted on keeping in mind the location, age of the structure, the extent to which the structure is obstructing the movement of pedestrians or vehicular traffic, complaints received from the local people asking for removal of the structure, the possibility of relocation on a nearby plot of land and the implication of forcible removal on the maintenance of law and order and communal harmony, the 2010 order had said.