Educationist takes on top babu, says leave Alandi's Garud Stambh alone

MIT founder Karad asks Divisional Commissioner Band not to raze structures that support 145-feet world peace pillar, warns against playing with warkari sentiments

Two days after the Divisional Commissioner issued orders to demolish illegal constructions on Indrayani riverbed at Alandi around Garud Stambh, education baron and founder of MIT group of institutions Dr Vishwanath Karad has spoken out against Dilip Band's orders.


let peace prevail:u00a0The Garud Stambh in Alandi. The 145-feet pole in
the middle of the Indrayani holds water collected from various religious
places in India and the world, including Mecca-Medina and Jerusalem.
Pic/Anup Sathphale

Karad is the head of Dehu-Alandi Parisar Vikas Samiti that erected these structures which Band claims is in the middle of the riverbed and obstructs the natural flow of water.

The Garud Stambh or world peace pillar is a 145-feet high mast right in the middle of the river and holds water collected from various religious places in India as well as all over the world like Mecca-Medina and Jerusalem. Every year, lakhs of Warkaris visit this place, which has now gained popularity as a spiritual structure.

Though Band has not ordered demolition of the main Garud Stambh, he has asked for the demolition of four smaller structures built around it, calling them illegal.

Reacting to Band's orders, Karad called for a press conference yesterday to warn that any such demolition would hurt Warkari sentiments.

"The four structures were constructed to give some support to the 145-feet high pole. I am an engineer myself and all this construction was done with permissions from civic corporation and the authorities concerned. Before passing the orders for demolition, Band did not consult me or other senior members nor did he ask for any explanation," said Karad.

He said the Garud Stambh was a symbol of Warkari devotion and a secular structure which represents many religious faiths. "We believe the state government is progressive and respects religious sentiments. And we hope that better sense prevails and no attempt is made to demolish any part of Garud Stambh or structures around it," he said.

Unholy row
The controversy over Garud Stambh built two years ago started a month ago, when Dicisional Commissioner
Dilip Band issued orders to the executive engineer of the irrigation department, stating that the unauthorised structure constructed by the Dehu-Alandi Vikas Parisar Samiti should be demolished within eight days. Band also warned that if the demolition did not take place, his office would submit a report against the department to the Bombay High Court.