Anger is growing among local residents in Chamoli district after the ancient Sita Mata temple in Chai village remained in a dilapidated condition for nearly three years, forcing the idol of Goddess Sita to be kept in a room of the temple priest’s house. Despite repeated inspections and assurances, the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) has not carried out repair or reconstruction work so far.
The Sita Mata temple, located in Chai village of Jyotirmath block, comes under the administrative control of the BKTC. Locals said the condition of the temple has been poor for several years. About three years ago, plaster started falling from the roof, raising safety concerns. Following this, villagers shifted the idol of Goddess Sita to a nearby room in the priest’s house to prevent damage.
At that time, BKTC officials had assured that repair work would begin soon. However, residents allege that despite several visits by committee officials and preparation of a repair plan, no concrete action has been taken till date.
Local residents Ishwar Chauhan, Dilip Singh, Akhilesh Panwar and Manoj Bisht said the temple structure continues to deteriorate, while the idol remains confined to a small room, which they described as deeply hurtful to religious sentiments. They added that several written and verbal requests have been made to the temple committee, but no effective response has been received.
According to villagers, the prolonged delay reflects negligence on the part of the BKTC and has led to growing resentment in the area. They demanded that the committee immediately start the reconstruction process and restore the temple to its original form.
Responding to the issue, BKTC chairman Hemant Dwivedi said that an inspection of the Sita Mata temple has been carried out and a plan for its renovation is being prepared. He stated that discussions are underway with potential donors and that damaged temples under the committee’s jurisdiction will be renovated. He added that the Sita Mata temple will also be properly restored.
