The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has directed the Chandigarh Administration to furnish details on its policy regarding unauthorised religious structures in the city. Last year,the Union government had assured the Supreme Court that it shall convene a meeting of all state secretaries concerned and evolve a consensus on the manner in which unauthorised religious structures should be dealt with. At a meeting in New Delhi on Thursday,chaired by Union Home Secretary G K Pillai,the Chandigarh Administration was asked to identify unauthorised religious structures in the city and formulate a time-bound strategy to demolish or relocate such structures. Instructions were also issued to prevent any such religious encroachment on government land in future, UT Home Secretary Ram Niwas told Newsline. According to a survey conducted by the Administration,Chandigarh has around 307 unauthorised religious structures,which have come up on nearly 650 acres of prime government land. Although the UT Master Plan has a provision for only 57 temples,27 gurdwaras,10 churches and seven mosques,the figures reveal that there are 240 unauthorised temples,56 gurdwaras; six churches and five mosques. In 2006,the Gujarat High Court had invoked a suo moto extraordinary writ jurisdiction and directed various municipal corporations to take immediate steps for removal of unauthorised religious structures in public places. The Supreme Court,however,issued a notice on the petition and stayed the operation. Last September,in a communiqué sent to the Chandigarh Administration,the Central government had stated that a balance must be maintained between the need to preserve religious structures and the need to protect public property from encroachment. Legislations on religious structures * The Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act,1984 The Act provides for imprisonment of those who cause mischief to public property. Mischief is defined in Section 425 of the Indian Penal Code as causing of any such damage in any property or in the situation thereof as which destroys or diminishes its value or utility. * The Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act,1991 This Act prohibits the conversion of a place of worship of one religious denomination into one of another denomination. Further,it provides for the maintenance of the religious character of a place of worship that existed on August 15,1947. * The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act,1958 The Act relates to preservation of historical monuments and archaeological sites and remains of national importance. It defines an ancient monument,among other things,as a monument that has been in existence for not less than one hundred years.
