CALANGUTE: A large number of residents from Nerul recently gathered at the site of the Kalimatadevi Temple, atop the Nerul Plateau, to oppose any plan to demolish the temple after a demolition order was circulated on social media.
The land admeasuring 93,000 sqmts on which the temple is located was acquired some years ago by the Salesian Society from the Nerul Comunidade to build an educational complex.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
However, Nerul residents had claimed that the place was sacred and there existed a Kalimatadevi ‘ghumti’ in the property which had allegedly been demolished. Following the protests some years ago, a makeshift temple had been constructed by the villagers.
The Nerul Panchayat had challenged the acquisition and the matter was pending before the additional Director of Panchayats. Now, an order has come that the temple should be demolished, villagers said.
Following the recent order, panchayat members and around 200 Nerul residents — including activists Shailendra Velingkar, Tara Kerkar and others — gathered at the temple site to oppose the demolition.
