Puri: Jagannath temple files certificate case

Puri, Mar 15: The Sri Jagannath temple administration has filed nearly 500 certificate cases in the special certificate court claiming over Rs.60 lakh from tenant farmers for not paying the temple dues for the last six years.

According to sources, farmers of different villages were allowed to cultivate in the temple land on annual payment of Rs 1600 per acre a year.

The farmers had taken the land for cultivation but failed to pay the dues despite several reminders during the last six years. To realise the money from them, the temple administration finally filed certificate cases against them.

The farmers of the Nimapara, Konark, Kakatpur, Gop and Sadar area had pleaded that during the consolidation operation the cultivable grade-one temple land was sidelined as the authorities did not take effective steps to protect its interest.

Most of the land allotted to the temple after the consolidation operation was barren, fallow and unfit for cultivation,the farmers said and maintained that they were not in a position to pay the dues as they were not cultivating the land.

UNI