Bhawakhaleshwar temple. File Bhawakhaleshwar temple. File A week after the Supreme Court dismissed a Special Leave Petition by the Bawakhaleshwar temple trust in Navi Mumbai challenging a Bombay High Court order to demolish the temple and other encroachments that stand on a plot owned by the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC), the state agency has directed its officials to carry out the demolition. In 2013, Sandeep Thakur, an activist from Vashi, had filed a Public Interest Litigation against the temple trust alleging that the three temples had been built illegally by Santosh Tandel, a trustee and nephew of NCP leader Ganesh Naik. The PIL claimed the structures were encroaching on a 1.4 lakh sqm plot of land owned by the MIDC in Pawane, Navi Mumbai. Sources in the MIDC said all details pertaining to the case had now been submitted to the CEO of the MIDC for approval. “As the petition was dismissed by the SC, we have to follow the High Court’s directions on demolition. Instructions have been given to carry out the demolition,” said an official. Last week, the SC dismissed Bawakhaleshwar temple trust’s plea challenging the Bombay High Court’s 2013 order regarding demolition of encroachments on the government-owned plot. Another official said the MIDC will require huge police bandobast to carry out the demolition. “We will write to police authorities seeking adequate bandobast for the demolition. Once we get the police bandobast, we will carry out the demolition immediately,” the official said. Besides the temple, other encroachments on the plot include structures built to beautify the area, an artificial pond and others. Earlier, the trust had urged the government to regularise the encroachments. The trust had claimed that the temple was built prior to 2009. The trust’s plea to the SC was also pertaining to regularisation of the encroachments, said an MIDC official. Meanwhile, Thakur has moved the HC, demanding to know what action has been taken by the MIDC and the state government on the HC’s order to demolish the encroaching structures, including the temple. The hearing is scheduled for October 24. NCP leader Ganesh Naik was not available for comment. Sources from the temple trust said it has written to the government asking it to come out with a policy to protect the religious structures. For all the latest Mumbai News, download Indian Express App

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