The Jharkhand High Court has taken a stern view of the lack of safety and infrastructure at the Maa Chinnamastika Temple in Rajrappa, directing the state government to submit a formal beautification proposal and address life-threatening hazards near the Bhairavi River.
A division bench of Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad and Justice Sanjay Prasad issued these directives on Wednesday while hearing a contempt petition filed by Sanjeev Kumar. The petitioner alleged that the authorities had failed to comply with the court’s September 2023 orders regarding the development of the temple premises.
Expressing grave concern over the safety of pilgrims, the High Court observed that several devotees had drowned in the Bhairavi River due to a lack of adequate safety measures. The bench ordered the State Tourism Secretary, Mukesh Kumar, and the Ramgarh Deputy Commissioner, Faiz Ahmed Mumtaz, to ensure that proper barricading is immediately installed along the riverbank adjacent to the temple.
The court emphasized that preventing further loss of life must be a priority, noting that the current state of the riverfront poses a significant risk to the thousands of devotees who visit the site.
The bench has mandated the Tourism Secretary and the Ramgarh Deputy Commissioner to conduct a comprehensive survey of the temple and its surrounding areas. Based on this survey, the officials must present a detailed beautification and development plan during the next hearing.
The court’s intervention stems from a persistent lack of improvement in the temple’s facilities, despite earlier directions given to the Ramgarh district administration and the Tourism Department to modernize the premises and enhance the experience for visitors.
The proceedings also brought to light environmental and safety hazards posed by the Central Coalfields Limited (CCL). The court was informed that several mines abandoned by the CCL after coal excavation have turned into massive water bodies. While some are being used for fish cultivation, the bench noted that these deep, water-filled pits could be dangerous for devotees and locals.
The court directed that steps be taken to fill these abandoned mines. Furthermore, the bench questioned the state government on whether CCL has contributed any funds toward the temple’s development or devotee facilities under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives.
To ensure accountability, the High Court has ordered the following officials to be personally present at the next hearing on April 24:
- Chairman-cum-Managing Director (CMD) of Central Coalfields Limited (CCL)
- Secretary, Water Resources Department
- Secretary, State Tourism Department
- Deputy Commissioner, Ramgarh
The court intends to review the progress of the barricading work and the proposed beautification plan at that time.
