SC directs strengthening of Kerala temple vault
8 Nov 2012 4:22 AM IST
The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the strengthening of a vault in Kerala's Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple as part of an exercise to secure its five vaults which stock treasures estimated to be worth Rs.1 lakh crore ($22 billion).
The strengthening of Vault A would cost around Rs.81 lakh, noted the apex court bench of Justice R.M.Lodha and Justice A.K. Patnaik.
The judges said two-thirds of the cost of strengthening Vault A would be borne by the Kerala government and the remaining by the temple management.
The court said the temple's valuables presently kept in Vault A would be transferred to Vault C till the strengthening work for the former was completed.
The judges issued the order in the wake of the amicus curiae Gopal Subramaniam's report which said that all the vaults were in a bad shape and required urgent repair and strengthening. ‘It is urgent. Things are falling,’ he said.
Senior counsel K.K. Venugopal, appearing for the temple management, urged the court to adjourn the matter so that an assessment could be made of the financial implications of Subramaniam's suggestion.
The strengthening of Vault A would cost around Rs.81 lakh, noted the apex court bench of Justice R.M.Lodha and Justice A.K. Patnaik.
The judges said two-thirds of the cost of strengthening Vault A would be borne by the Kerala government and the remaining by the temple management.
The court said the temple's valuables presently kept in Vault A would be transferred to Vault C till the strengthening work for the former was completed.
The judges issued the order in the wake of the amicus curiae Gopal Subramaniam's report which said that all the vaults were in a bad shape and required urgent repair and strengthening. ‘It is urgent. Things are falling,’ he said.
Senior counsel K.K. Venugopal, appearing for the temple management, urged the court to adjourn the matter so that an assessment could be made of the financial implications of Subramaniam's suggestion.
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