New Delhi: The Uttar Pradesh government has informed the Supreme Court that a disputed well in Sambhal is not located inside the royal Jama Masjid area, but is located on public land and therefore, a public water body. In an affidavit filed before the apex court on Monday, Naib Tehsildar of Sambhal district denied the claim made by the Masjid Management Committee that well – Dharai Varaha is known as the anger – private, because half of it is royal Jama Located inside the mosque, while the other half is outside.
The committee contacted the apex court with a petition to stop the Sambhal district administration from working on the notice of the municipality to open the well for public use. On January 10, action will not be taken on the notice of the municipality of December 2024, working on a bench of Chief Justice Sanjeev Khanna and Justice PV Sanjay Kumar.
The Masjid Management Committee has filed its application against the public use of the well in a pending case, where it has challenged the Sambhal Civil Court’s order to direct a survey of the mosque. This civil court order was issued in response to a suit in which the Hindu side raised legal questions on the character of the mosque, claiming that it was built after the demolition of a temple which was originally standing there. The survey created widespread tension in Sambhal, concluding on 24 November 2024 in violent clashes, killing four people and injured several, including police personnel.
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The UP government’s affidavit described the management application in place of “wrong” and the management application in place of “trying to create private rights on a public well”.
Dharni Varaha Kop is part of 19 wells, which are being revived in constructing for rain water harvesting, groundwater recharge, and use by all communities.
These efforts were presented by the UP government, not only in conformity with the observations of the apex court, which emphasized the need to revive natural water bodies for ecological protection, but rather clean water and hygiene with the Sustainable Development Goal of the United Nations. There were also to ensure access to. All.
The UP government’s affidavit further revealed that documentary records show that there is another well within the boundary walls of the mosque, now a disputed site called Yagna Kop. The state accused the mosque management of failing to declare the fact in the apex court. The state said, Yagna did not interfere in the operation of the anger.
“The above subject is not well (Dharni Varaha Kop) is not near the disputed religious site and not, and thus, there is no relationship with the mosque/disputed religious site. Even the disputed religious places are located on public land. It is presented that the well is a public well and is not located anywhere inside the mosque/disputed religious site. In fact, there is no access to the subject from inside the mosque, ”Read the affidavit filed by Advocate Ruchira Goyal.
The state affidavit is based on the inspection of the site made by a three -member panel formed immediately after the Supreme Court’s interim order of January 10. Sambhal’s Deputy Development Magistrate (SDM), Area Officer, and Municipal Council of Municipal Council of Sambhal were its members.
According to the affidavit, during inspection, the committee found that the wells were in use by people from all communities since time immemorial. However, it was also found that after the 1978 communal riots, a police Outpost It was built on top of one part of the well, while the other part was also used after 1978.
In addition, the affidavit stated that in 2012, the well was covered in question, and currently, there is no water in the well.
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Revival of wells
The government said that there is an immediate need for the preservation and restoration of 19 historically important wells, which includes 19 historically significant wells as the district is in the “dark area” in terms of groundwater level. Therefore, renewal of wells is important to address the water crisis.
In addition, the plan to revive culturally important sites in Sambhal is also aimed at promoting tourism in the district. The restoration of these wells, said, will attract tourists due to their cultural and historical importance. The estimated cost for this project is around 123.65 lakh rupees, the state further claimed.
Masjid Management Committee’s application, the state said, is an attempt to thwart the revival process. This, it argued, is not only illegal, but also harmful for ecological protection and development of the region.
Giving more information about the restoration project, the affidavit said that the work had already started. According to a report by the city council of Sambha on 20 February, 19 wells are being restored, rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge and socio-cultural-religious beliefs.
In the initial phase of the revival scheme, the municipality cleaned all the wells of the city, which were full of mud and garbage, installed nets on wells for security objectives, and signage boards with historical names and importance Established. Wales.
The creation of A in the next stages involves the construction Circumambulation (Circist) Path, drinking water facilities, and installation of boards depicting the historical and cultural significance of wells.
‘Masjid Management Cosmetry Court’
The state criticized the management of the royal Jama Masjid, incorrectly translating its notice on the revival of Wales and mislead the court with it. According to the affidavit, the management had trusted a public notice, while the municipal council had demanded the proposed effort to allow public use of the well. However, the notice belongs to a separate well – Irisikesh Mahakup – is located nearby, not Dharai Varaha Kop.
“An observation of the said correct translation will first show that the material belongs to a ‘Rishikesh Mahakupa’, not on this subject, which is the Dharni Varaha wrath. Second, it has kept the board and content depicting the cultural significance of the well, ”the affidavit states.
The UP government also clarified that the map placed before the court by the mosque management to show that the district administration was targeting the Shahi Jama Masjid through the Wales-Revival Plan. Sambhal Mahamya,
This map was part of a signboard to provide information about Rishikesh Mahakup.
The state further accused the petitioners of providing misleading photographs to the court, so that the disputed well could be wrongly claimed within the masjid complex. It presented the “true copies of the photographs”, which, according to it, clearly demonstrated that the well is outside the disputed religious site or the royal Jama Masjid.
According to the UP government, the appeal of the Masjid Management Committee challenged the trial court’s order for a survey of the mosque, now the case is already before the Allahabad High Court. Working on this appeal, the High Court has already stopped the entire civil suit, due to which the survey was ordered. The state argued that the mosque management filed its application in the High Court without disclosing development.
(Edited by Ridififa Kabir)
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