Shimla, June 23
Ten months after the devastating Shiv Baouri disaster in Summerhill, Shimla, controversy is escalating over unauthorized temple construction efforts next to the rain-ravaged temple site. The disaster, which buried 21 devotees under unprecedented calamity, has left the area unstable and unsuitable for rebuilding.
Also read : Landslide strikes Shiv Mandir at Boilueganj in Shimla, around 25 people feared to be buried
Recently, the Shiv Baouri committee has come under fire for attempting to construct the temple and raise idols of Lord Hanuman and Lord Shani without proper authorization. Locals report that the new temple is being erected alongside the previous site, sparking numerous complaints to the Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC).
Also read : Shimla Shiv baudi rain disaster: Committee reveals debris-blocked channel as key culprit
Despite firm instructions from the SMC and the district administration to halt all construction activities until necessary consents are obtained, the committee continues its unauthorized work. Local councillor Virender Thakur has emphasized the critical need for prior approval from the authorities before any rebuilding can proceed.
SMC Commissioner Bhupinder Kumar Attri has conveyed to the committee that the site remains unsafe for any construction. The area, converted into a parking lot post-disaster, is now part of a recently declared green belt by the Town and Country Planning Department, further complicating construction efforts.
Adding to the complexity, the Shimla MC has banned all construction activities until June 30 due to the ongoing water crisis in the city. Local concerns are also mounting over the choked drainage system, with eight water channels blocked, raising fears of another disaster in the upcoming monsoon season.
When questioned, constructors at the site dismissed the need for approval, claiming that since the temple trust does not use municipal water, construction should not be halted. This justification has been met with public outcry, highlighting a troubling trend: while common citizens often run pillar to post to comply with regulations, norms are openly flouted when it comes to religious constructions. This double standard underscores a broader issue where anything done in the name of religion seems to bypass the rules that govern everyone else.
In light of the disaster reports from August 14, 2023, which indicated (two different reports) that debris flow and uprooted trees led to the devastation of the Shiv Baouri temple, experts and local authorities are urging caution. They stress the necessity for comprehensive planning and approval before any reconstruction can safely take place.
Though what action authorities take remains to be seen but the unauthorized efforts not only flout regulations but also risk repeating past tragedies.
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