Temple restoration case: KMC administrator issued contempt notice

The court has issued contempt notice to KMC administrator to file his response to the application by November 6

KARACHI:

The Sindh High Court (SHC) issued contempt notice to the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) administrator for flouting the court's orders regarding the preservation of the 150-year-old Sheeri Ratneshwar Mahadev Temple in Clifton.

Headed by Chief Justice Maqbool Baqar, the division bench also repeated its directions for the KMC and the private constructions company to ensure that work for the preservation of the temple would commence within the next 24 hours.

MPA Mukesh Kumar Chawla and the All Pakistan Hindu Pachayat's secretary general, Ravi Dawani, had asked the court to direct provincial authorities and the KMC to protect the historic building.

The petitioner's lawyer, Haider Waheed, submitted that the construction of a flyover and underpasses in the vicinity posed a serious threat to the foundation of the 150-year-old Sheeri Ratneshwar Mahadev Temple. He apprehended that if urgent repairs were not carried out, the temple's walls may collapse, putting the structure in peril as well as the lives of the worshippers who visit it and the religious idols and symbols.

The court had directed the relevant authorities to ensure effective safety and security of the building under the supervision of qualified and reputed civil engineers. On Monday, Waheed filed a contempt of court application on behalf of the petitioners, submitting that despite repeated orders by the court and undertakings by the relevant authorities, the work as mandated by the court had not commenced yet. He said that there was a grave urgency in the matter as the metrological department has forecast the cyclone would bring heavy showers.  Rains would damage the historical site if relevant authorities did not carry out urgent preservation work, he added. Citing the KMC administrator as contemnor, the counsel pleaded to the court to initiate contempt of court proceedings against him for disobedience of its orders.

After hearing the preliminary arguments on the application, the court issued contempt notice to KMC administrator to file his response to the application by November 6.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 30^th, 2014.