09-15-2006, 07:14 PM
'Develop Kali temple as a tourist spot'
[ 15 Sep, 2006 1715hrs ISTPTI ]
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KOLKATA: A visit to the renowned Kali Temple at Kalighat here will be a less harrowing experience for devotees and tourists, with the Calcutta High Court on Friday directing authorities to develop it as a tourist spot.
The court issued a string of directions to the police and others responsible for running the temple in response to a PIL filed by a devotee.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice V S Sirpurkar and Justice Nadira Patherya observed that every visitor to the city normally visited the Kali Temple.
The court directed that the temple should be developed as a tourist spot with proper facilities and security arrangements.
It said construction of a yatriniwas near the temple complex and other development work, for which the Centre has sanctioned Rs five crore, should begin within two weeks.
The court entrusted Kolkata Municipal Corporation with carrying out the work in coordination with the West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation.
Taking note of allegations of financial irregularities in the temple, where huge amounts of money and ornaments are donated by devotees, the court asked the Kalighat police station's officer-in-charge to depute an officer to be present during the counting of money deposited in donation boxes.
It directed that the money should be counted every night and ornaments deposited in a bank vault the next day.
According to practice, 50 per cent of offerings by devotees are taken by the day's paladar (the person who conducts the puja) and the other half by the Kalighat Temple Committee.
The court directed this division should be made transparent and the deposited money counted and accounted for every day.
[ 15 Sep, 2006 1715hrs ISTPTI ]
RSS Feeds| SMS NEWS to 8888 for latest updates
KOLKATA: A visit to the renowned Kali Temple at Kalighat here will be a less harrowing experience for devotees and tourists, with the Calcutta High Court on Friday directing authorities to develop it as a tourist spot.
The court issued a string of directions to the police and others responsible for running the temple in response to a PIL filed by a devotee.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice V S Sirpurkar and Justice Nadira Patherya observed that every visitor to the city normally visited the Kali Temple.
The court directed that the temple should be developed as a tourist spot with proper facilities and security arrangements.
It said construction of a yatriniwas near the temple complex and other development work, for which the Centre has sanctioned Rs five crore, should begin within two weeks.
The court entrusted Kolkata Municipal Corporation with carrying out the work in coordination with the West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation.
Taking note of allegations of financial irregularities in the temple, where huge amounts of money and ornaments are donated by devotees, the court asked the Kalighat police station's officer-in-charge to depute an officer to be present during the counting of money deposited in donation boxes.
It directed that the money should be counted every night and ornaments deposited in a bank vault the next day.
According to practice, 50 per cent of offerings by devotees are taken by the day's paladar (the person who conducts the puja) and the other half by the Kalighat Temple Committee.
The court directed this division should be made transparent and the deposited money counted and accounted for every day.