Mysuru: The President of Sri Venugopala Swamy Temple Committee B.S. Sridhar Raje Urs will sit on a hunger strike in front Deputy Commissioner’s (DC) Office in Siddarthanagar demanding permission to construct temple tower (gopura) from 9.30 am on Dec. 23.

Speaking to Star of Mysore, Sridhar Raje Urs said this Sri Venugopalaswamy Temple is a heritage temple of over 130 years. About a few years back, the ceiling of this heritage temple which had religious motif was in a worn out condition. It was restored by the famous artiste Ganjifa Raghupathi Bhat using only the original natural colours specially prepared by him for this purpose.

The Temple Committee thereafter wanted to construct the main gate with the tower. A detailed architectural plan with an application was submitted to the Department of Archaeology, Heritage and Museums on 15.3.2024 and the department issued the letter of permission to construct the gopura (tower).

While construction was going on, Assistant Planning Director of Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) issued notice dated 30.5.2024 to stop work as the temple did not take permission from MCC. Following this the Committee gave an application with all details to MCC on 10.7.2024.

This led to overlapping of authorities over issue of permission. Therefore, the President of the Temple Committee Sridhar Raje Urs approached the Department of Archaeology, Heritage and Museums for clarification. The Archaeology Department told the President of the Temple Committee no such permission from the MCC was required for heritage building works. However, DC of district being the head of the Department of Archaeology, Heritage and Museums his approval may be taken.

Not taking any chance with the MCC Assistant Planning Director, the Temple Committee President submitted an application to him for permission with all documents he asked for on 02.08. 2024. In this age of technology, the MCC Planning Department too had adopted the technology and the President was asked to submit his application Online. Later, when he went to enquire the President of the Temple was told the Server was down and it was not accepting your application Online.

In the meanwhile, the Temple Committee President went to the DC of Mysuru district with this problem. The DC immediately called the MCC Zonal Commissioner on telephone and discussed the subject. The President of the Temple returned with an assurance from the DC that the permission would soon be given.

When the permission did not come as promised, the  President of the Temple went to the DC’s office to check and found out that the application he gave to the DC was forwarded to the MUDA Commissioner, God knows for whatever reason.

Frustrated with this kind of irresponsible, indifferent and bureaucratic audacity, President of Temple Committee Sridhar Raje Urs has decided to go on a hunger strike in front of DC’s Office.

Note: The First Court of Justice for a citizen seeking relief or permission from the government is the first government servant whom he approaches — from the peon to the Head of the Department or the Chief Minister in the case of a State. When he fails to get justice in the first instance he goes to the next higher officer and in that order. Here, the octogenarian President is made to run from pillar to post a dozen times with multiple officers of multiple departments claiming to wield authority for granting the permission. The President, who is also a retired senior government official, says that he found in his odyssey that this Administration is run by clerks not officers.—Ed