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Non pilgrims dominate food counters meant for outsiders
Thousands of non-pilgrims, mostly residents of the city from different localities, are creating chaos at the food counters of Pushkar Nagar arranged at the Pandit Nehru Bus Station (PNBS) by grabbing the food packets supplied by government and NGOs for the convenience of the pilgrims.
Vijayawada: Thousands of non-pilgrims, mostly residents of the city from different localities, are creating chaos at the food counters of Pushkar Nagar arranged at the Pandit Nehru Bus Station (PNBS) by grabbing the food packets supplied by government and NGOs for the convenience of the pilgrims.
These non-pilgrims in all age groups gather at the Pushkar Nagar in the PNBS three times a day and grab the free food supplied with good intension of serving to the pilgrims. Consequently, the genuine pilgrims coming from different parts of the State are not getting food.
Thousands of non-pilgrims both men and women and children are camping at the PNBS and collecting the curd rice packets, buttermilk, sambar rice packets, tamarind rice and other food items supplied by NGOs and Akshaya Patra.
Besides, beggars, petty traders and others too are creating chaos by grabbing the food packets. These fake pilgrims don’t carry luggage. They neither take bath in Krishna river nor visit any temple.
The officials and the representatives of NGOs are unable to identify these fake pilgrims. Hundreds of beggars, petty traders and local residents are standing in queues pretending to be pilgrims and collecting the food packets. Most of them disappear within minutes after taking the packets.
A civil supply department officer on duty at Pushkar Nagar said on Tuesday that it was not easy to differentiate between the real pilgrim and a fake pilgrim. He regretted that the objective of the State government and NGOs to help the pilgrims at Krishna Pushkaralu is not fulfilled with these cheating acts.
Children, elderly people and others coming for Pushkaralu expressed concern over the situation at the PNBS. They were forced to stand nearly one hour to get food packets. B Ramanamma, a pilgrim from Vizianagaram district, complained that she had to stand one hour to get food packet because of heavy rush.
Once the food packets are exhausted, the pilgrims have to wait another six hours to get the next quota. On Tuesday, most of the food counters were closed at 3 pm. Still, hundreds of people stood at the queue lines to get food packets.
K Ajay Kumar, a representative of an NGO, said something should be done to check the entry of fake pilgrims into Pushkar Nagar. He said these fake pilgrims are playing spoilsport by cheating the NGOs, government and genuine pilgrims, who travel hundreds of kilometres to take holy bath in Krishna river.
Adding to the woes of the pilgrims, hundreds of police on duty too are taking the food packets at these counters. Though there are designated food distribution points for the staff on duty, the police prefer this place to collect their food.
The NGOs are not in a position to prevent the police from taking the food packets, which are meant for distribution to the pilgrims.
