Uttarakhand: To get to the bottom of the alleged 'gold plating scam' at Kedarnath Temple, the state government on Friday decided to constitute a high-level panel to probe allegations. A few days earlier, allegations were made of an alleged scam of Rs 1.25 billion in the gold plating of the sanctum sanctorum of the world-famous Kedarnath temple. State's Tourism, Religion and Culture Minister Satpal Maharaj has directed the secretary of Culture and religious affairs Harichandra Semwal to constitute a high-level inquiry committee to probe the matter. The committee will be constituted under the chairmanship of the Garhwal commissioner.
Panel to be constituted
According to reports, technical experts as well as goldsmiths will also be included in the inquiry committee. Maharaj further stated that the state government is 'extremely sensitive' and, "action will be taken against whoever is found guilty in the investigation of the committee."
Donation was accepted
He further underlined the provisions laid down in the Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee Act-1939, and clarified that the donation was accepted from the donor, Moreover, permission was taken from the state government to gold-plate the sanctum sanctorum of the Kedarnath temple.
"The gold plating of the sanctum sanctorum was done under the supervision of the experts of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)," he said.
Entire work was done by donor
He clarified that the entire work which include- buying gold and getting it inlaid in the walls was done by the donor himself. He said that the temple committee had no direct role in it and the official bill and other papers were also given by the donor to the temple committee.
