Fix CCTV cameras for temple cows: Madras HC

Chennai: The Madras high court has directed authorities to provide one CCTV camera in areas where cows are kept in temples.

“Since there are already CCTV cameras in temples, one CCTV camera may be dedicated to the area where cows are kept, as it will make monitoring easier and obviate the requirement of too many visits.

Though government pleader has some reservations, we are of the view that this is not a major financial issue when CCTV cameras are already installed in the temples and certainly, the temples, would have enough funds to be able to facilitate one extra CCTV camera being installed”, said a division bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M. M. Sundresh.

The bench gave the directive while passing further interim orders on a PIL from Radha Rajan, a social activist, which sought a direction to authorities to formulate a comprehensive scheme for up keeping of cattle in all the temples administered by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment department as per the high court order passed in April 2004.

The bench also directed authorities to constitute within six weeks, the state level and district level committees to deal with the issues relating to maintenance of temple elephants in captivity.

The bench said it was pointed out that there was one more elephant named Gomathi housed at Arulmighu Mahalingaswami Thirukovil, Thiruvidaimarudur, Kumbakonam taluk, which practically stands abandoned by the mutt and thus steps should be taken to hand over the elephant to the forest department for maintenance within a week. The bench posted the matter to April 15 for compliance.