The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday directed the authorities to desilt the temple tank of Yoga Narasimha Perumal temple at Narasingam in Othakadai within six months and ensure that no garbage was dumped adjacent to or in the tank.A Division Bench of Justices G. R. Swaminathan and B. Pugalendhi issued the direction while disposing of a public interest litigation petition filed by J. Kanagaraj of K. Pudur in Madurai.The petitioner said the shrine was one of the oldest and historically significant rock-cut cave temples in Tamil Nadu. The adjacent temple tank (Theertham) formed an integral part of the temple’s religious traditions and heritage. However, its present condition caused great inconvenience to devotees. It had not been properly desilted for several years and was overgrown with bushes, weeds and other vegetation, thereby losing its original appearance. The retaining walls of the tank had also deteriorated due to prolonged neglect and lack of periodic maintenance.Also, the accumulation of garbage, plastic waste and other refuse in and around the temple tank had resulted in an unhygienic environment, adversely affecting the sanctity of the temple premises. The absence of proper sanitation measures and regular cleaning had led to foul odour and posed potential health hazards to devotees and visitors.He said it was necessary to undertake periodical desilting and cleaning of the temple tank and its surrounding areas to preserve its importance. Published - August 06, 2026 09:44 pm IST