Swami Shivanand, head of Matri Sadan, alleged on Wednesday that the notification issued by the State Government on Ardh Kumbh Mela 2016 is illegal and unconstitutional. “Chief Minister Harish Rawat has appointed a Mela Adhikari for the religious congregation who is unaware of the geographical condition of Haridwar and of the rudiments of what Kumbh Mela embodies vis-à-vis the Hindu spiritual culture,” he said.
S Murugesan, the Mela Adhikari, should have read the recommendation made by the earlier Mela Adhikari during the Kumbh Mela 2010 before issuing the notification. Under the Section 2 of Combined District Mela Act 1938, notification of Ardh Kumbh Mela is issued following approval from the Governor and after that, the Mela area is considered as a separate district.
Swami Shivanand said that most surprising thing is that as per notification issued , the area used for the Kumbh Meal 2010 has come under it. However, as per the recommendations made by previous Mela Adhikari, more land will be required to facilitate the upcoming Ardh Kumbh Mela. It was also said the mela premises would be extended in the direction of Kangari village.
As per sources, some missions and trusts did not get space for their tents during the Kumbh Mela. The mela administration had to face people’s anger. With the administration doing nothing, the missions and trusts whose tents could not be accommodated for space crunch boycotted the mela, landing thus the administration in embarrassment.
Shivanand further said the Mela Adhikari has not conducted a open meeting with the representatives of the trusts or missions nor has sought suggestion from them on how to ensure glitch-free mela. He added the land verification involving Ardh Kumbh is yet to be completed as far as his knowledge goes. “Is this competenceIJ” he asked.