Date:30/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/30/stories/2008113053480500.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Karnataka asked to release water for Tungabhadra pushkarams

Special Correspondent

Railways, RTC to run special services for the event

Half of the daily turnout of pilgrims expected from Karnataka
27 bathing ghats constructed in Kurnool and Mahabubnagar

HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh has requested Karnataka to release adequate water into the Tungabhadra from Hospet dam to ensure proper flow in the river for the Tungabhadra pushkarams from December 10 to 21.

A positive response is expected to the request made by Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy in his letter to his Karnataka counterpart as a half of the daily turnout of three lakh pilgrims expected for the event would be from that State.

Arrangements

Announcing this at a press conference here on Saturday, Endowments Minister J. Ratnakar Rao said 23 bathing ghats along the river banks had been constructed in Kurnool district and another four in Mahabubnagar district for the once-in-12-years event, and a number of other facilities were being provided, all costing Rs. 23.19 crore contributed by different departments.

Temples’ renovation

The drainage water joining the Tungabhadra from the Kurnool town had been diverted to a point downstream under a Rs. 3-crore scheme. Twenty-nine famous temples in areas on either side of the river were being renovated at Rs. 2.4 crore.

P. Sundar Kumar, Commissioner, Endowments, said special train/bus services were being organised by the Railways and Andhra Pradesh Road Transport Corporation (RTC) to identified places from different places of the State.

The RTC would offer free trips from Kurnool railway station to the bathing ghats.

Models of temples

As part of pushakarams, the government would showcase the rich traditions of temples by putting up large models of Srisailam, Mahanandi, Kasapuram, Srikalahasti and Kanipakam temples.

Monthly assistance

The Minister announced that another 1,000 temples (with an annual income less than Rs. 30,000) would be brought under Doopa Deepa Naivedyam (DDN) scheme and a monthly assistance of Rs. 2,500 would be extended each to them.

In addition to 2,000 such temples already covered by the scheme, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) had offered to help another 2,000 temples of this category through it, the Endowments Commissioner said.