Focus on pvt temples in festival season, officials told

Vijayawada: Chief secretary K Vijayanand directed officials to pay special attention to private temples across the state, particularly in view of the heavy influx of devotees expected during upcoming festivals. Reviewing departmental activities and public perception at the RTGS office at the Secretariat on Monday, he stressed the need for strict monitoring and coordination.

Vijayanand noted that several major occasions, including Vaikuntha Ekadashi and Dhanurmasam, will draw large crowds. He instructed that private temple managements must inform officials in advance about anticipated footfall and the crowd-control measures being planned. For effective management, temple authorities are required to obtain prior permission from the police and ensure adequate security arrangements to prevent untoward incidents.

To streamline procedures, the chief secretary directed that a guideline booklet be prepared and circulated to all private temples.

The booklet will outline steps for trustees and managements to follow during peak occasions.

He cautioned officials against negligence, stressing that private temples also fall under their purview. While the responsibility of day-to-day management lies with temple authorities, strong bandobust must be ensured during peak hours.

Cleanliness and sanitation were highlighted as top priorities. The chief secretary urged officials to prevent lapses that could lead to stampede-like situations, insisting that hygiene standards be maintained even during heavy rush.

Turning to agriculture, Vijayanand advised officials to plan ahead to avoid fertilizer shortages during the Rabi season. Agriculture officials assured him that sufficient supplies are already in place and that arrangements have been made to ensure continuous availability for farmers.

He also encouraged wider public use of the ‘Manamitra WhatsApp Governance’ platform to strengthen citizen engagement.

IT and RTG secretary Bhaskar Katamneni, CEO Prakhar Jain, ex-officio special chief secretary Budithi Rajasekhar, AP Fibernet MD Geethanjali Sharma, Ratan Tata Innovation Hub CEO Dhatri Reddy, RTGS joint director Malika Garg and other senior officials attended the meeting.