Sunday, September 17, 2017

HC orders notice on plea seeking ban on camphor in temples

tnn | Updated: Sep 17, 2017, 00:41 IST

Madurai: The Madurai bench of the Madras high court on Saturday issued notice on petition seeking to prohibit sale and use of chemical camphor and animal fats and dalda-based light (theepam) in temples in the state.

Hindu Makkal Katchi Sivaganga district president S Anandavel filed the petition seeking a ban on use of chemical camphor and animal fat in temples. It came up for hearing before the division bench of justices K K Sasidharan and G R Swaminathan.

K Neelamegam, petitioner's counsel, said that using pure cow ghee to light lamp would make the temple free from pollution. However, theepams made of animal fats and dalda were sold and used in many temples.

The counel said that several shops in Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple were seen selling dalda theepams under the label of ghee theepam. Chemical camphor was sold there, too. Carbon di oxide and carbon mono oxide emitted from these theeepams and camphors when they were lighted. It would lead to breathing problem and simialr diseases, the counsel added.

Neelamegam said that the temple authority, which was supposed to monitor it, had failed to do so. A representation seeking to prohibit those items in temples was sent to the state's home secretary, health secretary and Hindu religious and charitable endowment secretary on August 25, 2017. However, no action was taken in this regard. Following it, the court ordered notice.

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