HC seeks ASI reply on PIL relating to ancient temple in Bihar

The Patna High Court has sought a reply from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on a PIL seeking directions to authorities concerned for the preservation of a temple in Bihar's Kaimur district which is said to be more than 1,600 years old.

A Division Bench comprising Justice Jyoti Saran and Parth Sarthy passed the order Friday on the Public Interest Litigation filed by Gaurav Kumar Singh, a student of Chanakya National Law University here.

The PIL seeks a writ of mandamus (direction) for protection and preservation of Maa Mundeshwari temple and idols of the deities in it.

The PIL, which has also named the Union ministry for Youth and Culture as a respondent, has also sought a direction for the repair of the damage that has already been caused to the temple's structure, idols of the deities installed inside it and its boundary wall besides deployment of armed personnel, i.e., CISF or police for its security.

The petitioner has appended to the PIL the printout of an email he wrote to several authorities on March 29 this year, drawing their attention towards the decrepitude of the temple "which is more than 1600 years old" and was declared a "protected monument way back in 1914".

The court directed the ASI to file its reply while fixing August 9 as the next date of hearing in the matter.