The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) on Friday informed the Kerala High Court that it was decided not to lease out its land under its various temples for cultivation to private parties.
The TDB made the submission in an affidavit filed in response to a petition by R.V. Babu, general secretary of the Hindu Aikya Vedi, Kerala, challenging the move to auction bronze utensils, including nilavilakku, offered by devotees and to lease out its land.
The TDB further submitted that the board had resolved to cultivate the vacant lands owned by it in all temples. The board thought of leasing out the property for cultivation to individuals or organisations through a public auction for three years if the cultivation could not be carried out by the employees and the temple advisory committees. However, the proposal was given up as it felt that the property would go into the hands of third parties if the land was leased out.
Therefore , it was decided by the board on June 19 not to lease out temple land for cultivation to third parties.
Segregation
The TDB also said that the segregation of gold items kept in the temples and strong rooms would be completed within three months.
