As ‘this is false information’, Vedaranyam common people and devotees are agitated.
In this regard, Pandiarajan, secretary of ADMK, Youth Basara, Vedaranyam, who has written a letter to Minister Shekhar Babu, said:
Vedaranyeswarar Temple, 1,000 years old. This temple has 67 thousand acres of land worth several hundred crores of rupees. Most of that land is occupied.
Therefore, the temple receives little income. But if the lands are reclaimed, they can earn crores of rupees as income.
Dharmapuram Adheena Mutt has purchased 3,000 square feet of land belonging to the temple at ‘Survey’ No. 175, Vedaranyam South Road, to build an alms house.
They have given 2 crore rupees to that place which was a private experience. So, we can guess how much land is worth in Vedaranyam. The temple owns a lot of land inside and outside the town.
Of the 67,000 acres owned by the temple, 25,000 acres are saline. The Salt Corporation of India, 40 years ago, entered into an agreement with the Hindu Endowment Department to take these lands and give them to private individuals for salting.
The agreement was for a lease of Rs 1 per acre per annum. But the company concerned did not pay even that meager amount to the charity department.
At the same time, they collect thousands from those who set up the salt. Those who do not pay the rent get away with the claim that they are ‘losses in the salt industry’.
An acre of salt flats produces at least 300 tons of salt per year. If the environment is good, you can get up to 500 tons.
The total amount of salt available in Uppalam is 75 lakh tonnes. If the price of a tonne of salt is Rs 2,500, the total amount of salt produced is Rs 15,000 crore.
Salt is produced and traded here for so much rupees. But it is a pity that the temple administration does not properly collect even the tax for the saline land.
It is in this context that the minister has said that Vedaranyeswarar temple is a temple without income.
Pandiyarajan said this.
ADMK, Nagapattinam district representative Kannan said:
A private company has leased 8,500 acres of land in Vedaranyam Kotikkadu, where it manufactures chemical salt.
Similarly, in Katinalvyal area, 9,000 acres of land is used to manufacture ‘chemical’ salt.
These two private companies manufacture and add value to chemical salt and earn crores of rupees through it. But those companies also do not pay the rent regularly.
In many parts of Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur and Thanjavur districts, the lands belonging to the temple are under private encroachment. They sell it through experience. It cannot be done legally.
The revenue department documents contain complete details of the temple land. If the lands are recovered through it, the income will be several hundred crores of rupees.
This is what he said.
Not enough income’
The administrative officer of Vedaranyeswarar Temple, Irishazhagan, said: The temple has a lot of assets. Their formalization is in progress. Thousands of acres of land are being reclaimed. They will be leased out with due permission. An auction will be conducted for this. At present, the annual income from temple lands and other sources is Rs.1 crore and 77 lakhs. It was not enough for temple expenses. That is what the minister has said as ‘not enough income’. A temple with no income’, he did not inform. The details of all the lands owned by the temple are also collected along with the documents. After that task is completed, a report will be prepared. It will be given to the Minister and the officials will be involved in consultation regarding the legal recovery of the lands. After that, appropriate permission will be taken and action will be taken. We will no longer allow someone to enjoy the temple land without any benefit to the temple. This is what he said.
– Our Correspondent —