HYDERABAD: Organisers of Sri Kasireddy Nayana Gari Nandyal Ashramam in Jyothy Kshetram on Sunday said that they have completed construction of 60% of the ashram to accommodate the devotees of Samartha Sadguru Sri Kasinayana in Varikuntla tiger corridor zone in Kadapa district, despite cases being booked against them under the Forest Conservation Act for
encroachment
of forest land.
Even though forest officials allege that the construction activity is a clear case of encroachment and all further construction has been stopped, the ashram organisers denied the claims. They said that the Jyothi Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple, which is built inside the forest, is ancient and was built during the period of the Pandava emperor Sri Janamejayuni.
Nagarjuna Sharma of Sri Kasireddy Nayana Gari Nandyal Ashramam, who is coordinating with the state government over the wildlife and forest clearance application, told TOI, “Sri Kasireddy Nayana Garu entered Maha Yoga Samadhi on full moon day on December 6 in 1995 at Jyothi Kshetram. We have completed 60% of the construction including a part of the temple, cottages, 40-room choultry and Annadana dormitory. We cook five quintals of rice per day for the devotees.”
The ashram organisers also produced a supporting document from Varikuntla Gram Sabha for diversion of the forest land. Interestingly, it was found that the village secretary, the mandal parishad officer, tahsildar, forest beat officer and forest range officer had signed a no objection certificate (NOC) for diversion of the forest land. Further, Rajampet revenue divisional officer (RDO), Proddotur divisional forest officer (DFO) and the assistant tribal welfare officer had also signed the NOC.
Guru Prabhakar, the DFO, who had opposed the forest encroachment at a meeting in August last year, said, “The forest area has been inspected and the land is not under cultivation by STs and SCs. No community rights were given to the villagers and the temple committee can construct ashrams in the temple area.”
He said that the cases booked in 2014 against the organisers were struck down by the court. “Former chief minister of Andhra Pradesh Kolta Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy used to visit the temple and devotees from Karnataka, AP and surrounding areas visit the temple. The organisers have applied for regularisation after constructing 60% of the ashram,” he said.
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