Asaram ashram loses gaushala land in Surat

Asaram ashram loses gaushala land in Surat
Asaram ashram loses gaushala land in Surat
Posted: Sun Jul 11 2010, 02:49 hrs
Surat:
Following a High Court order, district officials have taken possession of 34,400 sq metres of land at Jehangirpura in Surat on which the ashram run by spiritual leader Asharam Bapu had built a temple and a gaushala (cowshed) and had been depositing a monthly installment of Rs 70,000 at the district collector office for the past two years.
Sources said district officials and the police went into the ashram at Jehangirpura and asked told the ashram people to vacate the land, which they did without any resistance.
The team then got the debris removed and took possession of the land.
The irrigation department had acquired agricultural land on the banks of Tapi River to make a protection wall. However, 34,400 square metres of land was left unused following which the department started the process of returning the excess land to farmers who first owned it.
The ashram on its neighboring side, meanwhile, started encroaching the land and built a temple and a gaushala on it.
Anil Vyas, a farmer, filed a petition before the Gujarat High Court, which directed the district collector to take possession of the land. Asharam Bapu, who wanted some time to challenge the order, was asked to pay Rs 70,000 a month at the district collector’s office for the interim period.
Choryasi Prant mamlatdar Deepak Shukla said, “We have taken possession of the land. The ashram people also cooperated with us.”

Source of news :
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Asaram-ashram-loses-gaushala-land-in-Surat/644832