Illegal quarrying may damage temples at Pajaka

June 30, 2000

By Ganesh Prabhu

UDUPI, JUNE 29: Pajaka Kshetra, birthplace of Sri Madhwacharya, who propounded

the Dwaita philosophy, is once again embroiled in controversy triggered by

illegal quarrying in the hills surrounding the kshetra. The district

administration realised that the situation was grave only when Sri Vishwesha

Theertha Swamiji of Paryaya Sri Pejawar Math threatened to go on a fast on

Tuesday if quarrying was not stopped.

It is said that quarrying has been going on in Pajaka for the past seven or

eight years. In 1997, the State Government issued a notification banning

quarrying in lands coming under survey numbers 93, 101, 201, 202 and 203 at

Kurkalu village, and survey numbers 193, 313 and 315 at Belle village following

protests by the swamiji. The lease deeds of the contractors were also

cancelled.

Illegal quarrying started here about a month ago on one side of the hillock,

which does not face the road. The authorities of the Sri Madhwacharya Temple at

Pajaka came to know of this about a week ago and reported it to the swamiji.

It appears strange that the Government does not have any mechanism to monitor

the activities of the contractors in the area. Even a board stating that

quarrying is banned in the notified land has not been erected. No fencing has

also been made in the area.

The Assistant Commissioner and the Superintendent of Police, who inspected the

spot on Wednesday, found that quarrying was going on in the land coming under

survey number 202. This contradicted the claim of the district administration

that no such activity was going on there. The Shirva police seized a crane from

there on a complaint by the Department of Mines and Geology on Wednesday. The

district administration then posted three policemen there the same day.

When this correspondent visited the area on Thursday, it was clear that

quarrying had taken place in the area. The policemen posted there told The

Hindu that they were not aware of the borders of the notified area. They are

not provided shelter either.

Quarrying is a sensitive matter here as religious sentiments are involved.

Dynamite explosions can damage the nearly 700-year-old Sri Anantapadmanabha

Temple and the Sri Madhwacharya Temple. It is feared that quarrying will erase

the footprints of Madhwacharya believed to be found on the rocks of the hills.

Explosions also cause sound pollution, and hinder the chanting of vedic hymns

and study of the puranas and religious texts by students.

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