Details of temple lands in Tamil Nadu now available online

, Apr 29: In an effort to help prevent encroachment of vast tracts of

lands in

, the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department has uploaded details of lands owned by temples on its official website, official sources said.

The details of land properties owned by temples in as many as 23 districts including Chennai, Coimbatore, Dharmapuri and Dindigul are now available online at http://tnhrce.org, under the "temple land details" tag in the website of the HR and CE department, official sources said.

The details related to temples in eight other districts are expected to be uploaded soon. The department, however, in its website says that the details furnished are "subject to additions and alterations." Temples in Tamil Nadu, some of which are administered by ancient mutts like Dharmapuram Adheenam, own several lakh acres of land under different categories including wet and dry lands.

There are 38,491 Hindu and Jain religious institutions under the control of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of the State government. Following allegations of encroachment of temple lands, and a writ plea in the Madras High Court by International Sri Vaishnava Dharma Samrakshana Society, details related to temple lands have now been collected and digitised, the sources said.

PTI