After paying compensations for relocating temples and other places of worship elsewhere, the Cuttack district administration resumed eviction of encroachments along the National Highway-5 on Thursday.
“The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has sanctioned a compensation amount of Rs. 19 lakh towards relocation of at least 19 places of worship, including 11 temples that have come up unauthorised encroaching upon the Highway from both sides between Gopalpur and Phulanakhara”, informed the Cuttack Sadar sub-collector Sudarshan Parida.
The administration along with the assistance of commissionerate police on the day pulled down at least three temples on the day. While four temples were demolished last week, four more temples would be pulled down on this stretch on Friday, Mr. Parida informed saying that at least five temple trusts received the damage amounts on the day. The remaining would be paid after verification of documents, he added.
Meanwhile, the Orissa High Court on the day issued notice to the district administration asking it to furnish a detailed report stating as to how many places of worship have been identified in the city for encroaching government land and how many of them have been pulled down till date.