5 months ago
1
The High Court of Karnataka has directed the Principal Secretary, Forest Department, to analyse whether spiritual institutions, temples and mutts could beryllium allowed to turn their ain sandalwood trees for the explicit intent of utilizing lone for their spiritual customs and practices.
If the temples could beryllium permitted to turn their ain sandalwood trees, past the authorities tin formulate indispensable argumentation for that purpose, the tribunal said.
Justice Suraj Govindaraj passed the bid portion partially allowing a petition filed, mode backmost successful 2011, by Sri Krishna Mutt, Udupi. The petitioner-mutt had sought a absorption to the Forest Department to merchandise the remaining quantity of the 1,087 kg of sandalwood, which the authorities had agreed to proviso to the temple each twelvemonth since 1921.
The mutt had filed the petition arsenic the authorities had supplied lone 30 kg of sandalwood arsenic against the agreed quantity. The sandalwood paste, prepared by rubbing sandalwood billet against a grinding slab, successful a semi-liquid signifier is utilized for the puja of Lord Krishna arsenic good arsenic organisation of it arsenic prasada to the devotees, the mutt had told the court.
However, the authorities told the tribunal that it is not imaginable to proviso sandalwood successful specified a ample quantity successful the contiguous circumstances owed to shortage of availability of sandalwood, but 10 kg of sandalwood billets could beryllium supplied to the mutt, if indispensable exertion is made, each twelvemonth arsenic is being done successful lawsuit of Muzrai Department notified temples.
The Forest Department has pointed retired to the tribunal that up to 20 kg of sandalwood billets for A-Class temples and 10 kg for B-Class notified temples are being supplied each twelvemonth based connected the availability connected receipt of applications for this purpose. Since the petitioner-mutt is not coming nether Muzrai Department, a maximum of 10 kg of sandalwood billets could beryllium supplied each year, based connected availability, if indispensable exertion is made by the mutt, the tribunal was informed.
However, the mutt had contended that usage of sandalwood for cremation dormant bodies of 2 VVIPs precocious amusement that determination is availability of sandalwood.
Taking enactment of the provisions of the Karnataka Forests Act, 1963, shortage successful availability of sandalwood trees, and contiguous argumentation of the authorities connected proviso of sandalwood for temples, etc., the tribunal asked the petitioner to taxable an exertion for supplying 10 kg sandalwood billets each twelvemonth taxable to availability and the Deputy Commissioner, Udupi, should enactment connected the exertion wrong 30 days.
