Agra: Devotees had to return without offering prayers at Daan Ghati temple in Govardhan on Wednesday after priests closed the entrance doors as a mark of protest against Mathura district administration’s demolition of ‘Aarti Sthal’ based on a National Green Tribunal (NGT) order to raze all illegal religious structures on the hill.The NGT had recently directed the local administration to remove all illegal religious structures constructed on 12 hectares of forest land on Govardhan hill. The authorities were also ordered to raze the illegal structures and ‘respectfully’ shift the idols.On Wednesday, the priests and locals closed the entrance doors of Daan Ghati and Gokul temples demanding that the demolition drive be stopped. They also threatened to close down other temples if their demand is not fulfilled. Talking to TOI, Meena Lal, a priest, said that the temple doors will remain closed till the local administration withdraws its decision to demolish the structures.Govardhan SDM Nagendra Singh said that the officials were just following the NGT directions in demolishing the illegal religious structures. He added that necessary police force has been deployed in the area to prevent any untoward incident.According to authorities, there are at least 33 religious structures that have been built on encroached land on Govardhan hill. The NGT had passed the demolition order while hearing a plea filed by Mathura-based Giriraj Parikrama Sanrakshan Sansthan and others seeking compliance of the NGT’s August 4, 2015 directions. The organisation had raised the issue of civic authorities discharging sewage and municipal waste into ponds and other water bodies in Govardhan.

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