Causing inconvenience: SHC orders inspection of temple restoration work

KARACHI:

The Sindh High Court (SHC) appointed its Nazir on Tuesday as commissioner to inspect the alleged violations in the constructions that had earlier been ordered by the court to restore the worshipers’ access to the sea from the pre-partition Hindu temple of Shri Laxmi Narain in Clifton.

Headed by Chief Justice Maqbool Baqar, the bench directed the Nazir to also take photographs of the site and to submit his report to the court within two weeks.

Kailash Wishram, a Hindu residing in the temple’s premises, had gone to court against the demolition of certain structures at the temple, allegedly at the behest of the Minister for Excise and Taxation, Mukesh Chawla.

According to Wishram, access to the sea is an important part of Hindu rituals but this was being denied by blocking off the staircase that led to the sea.

On Tuesday, the petitioner reminded the judges that on November 14, 2012, the bench had ordered the minister and others to complete reconstruction of the demolished staircase within a month. The construction was to be in such a manner that access to the sea would be better than what it was earlier.

However, he alleged that the respondents have not completed the reconstruction work within the stipulated time. Instead, they abandoned the work a month ago, which amounts to wilfully and deliberately committing contempt of court.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 21^st, 2014.