NISHIKANT DUBEY Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) By filing this writ petition in the nature of Public Interest Litigation, the petitioner, being the Member of Parliament representing Godda Constituency, has prayed for a direction upon the respondents, particularly, respondent No.2, to take appropriate steps for construction of Mega Destination, Deoghar (Construction of Q-complex), which is allegedly not being constructed even after lapse of 10 years from the date of sanction of the project, for which foundation stone was laid down by His Excellency the then Hon'ble President of India in the year 2013.

(2.) The petitioner claims that the temple of deity Baba Baidyanatha is situated in Deoghar and is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga temples having great significance for the followers of Sanatan Dharma. It is a place of major pilgrimage and in the month of Shrawan, an estimated 50-60 lakhs devotees first visit Sultanganj, collect 'Gangajal' in their Kanwars and thereafter carry the same by undertaking a rigorous 109 kms pilgrimage on foot and offer the holy water to the deity Baba Baidyanath. During this Shrawani Mela, the devotees have to stand in queue for 15-20 kms after reaching the city of Deoghar to offer holy water to the Shivlinga after walking for about 109 kms from Sultanganj to Deoghar, which consumes about 8-10 hours and devotees have to face insurmountable problems.

(3.) The proposal for selection Deoghar within the State of Jharkhand a destination of Mega Tourism was first proposed in the 11th Five Year Plan. The Ministry of tourism vide letter dated 22nd of October,2010 informed that Respondent No.1 in consultation with Respondent No.2 has included the project 'Mega Destination at Deoghar' in the prioritized project list of Jharkhand 2010-11 and was directed to provide a revised detailed project report and, therefore, the petitioner prayed that appropriate direction may be passed in this connection.