Nityapooja Kona pilgrimage development delayed

The Nityapooja Kona a famous pilgrimage centre which is tracked to 10 Km dense Lankamalleswara forest region in Sidhavatam mandal development seems to be out of development due to serious threat from Red sander smugglers.

This was the reason government failed to formed the road due to forest department declined to issued the permission. Pilgrims wished to visit the Nitya Pooja Kona temple face hurdles for having darsan of Lord Nitya Pooja Swamy temple.

Due to lack of road facility pilgrims have to cross three streams risking their lives and face hazards from cruel animals. Even devotees either not availing Two Wheeler or Tractor ride as the entire route would be filled with big stones and with deep streams. There was a tradition people name their children as 'Notyapoojaiah', Nityapoojamma as 30 per cent of population in YSR Kadapa district having such names.

Pilgrims have no alternative to reach Nitya Pooja Swamy temple all the way by walking 8Km. There were several instances when pilgrims who ventured into the forest to reach the destination might have gotten lost in the forest region, with great difficulty police rescuing the people who lost the way. APSRTC is not in a position to operate its services to this pilgrimage centre due to lack of permission from the forest department as it is not able to flee the buses during normal days, every Monday only two trips up to Jyothi village

According to the sources about five lakh devotees are expected to visit the temple on the occasion of Maha Shivaratri, while the administration is forced to take pain in providing amenities.

However the forest department has bluntly rejected the appeals of the State government and devotional organisations, social activists over formation of road to Nityapooja Kona by saying such proposal will hit the interest of protecting precious red sander trees grown in the Lankamalleswara forest. Centre saying if a road was formed it will be easy for illegally transporting from the forest.

"We are not against preventing illegal transportation of Red sanders, but at the same time the central government has to think about the facilities and also revenue the state government is gaining through this famous pilgrim center. Government has to make alternative arrangements like deploying more police forces and intensifying combing operations but it is not correct to reject the proposal of constructing roads," said social activist M Venkatasubbaiah to The Hans India.

The lives of Sidhavatam people were almost smashed by restricting the vehicular between Bakarapet- Badvel via Sidhavatam after 8PM in the name of protecting wild animals as they came on the roads during night times. These kinds of restrictions adversely hit the traders in Sidhavatam. Now not issuing permission in constructing the road to Nityapooja Knoa is another major blow to the business people, '' said a resident of Sidhavatam and member of Jana Vignana Vedika(JVV) told.

An officer on the condition of anonymity told The Hans India they cannot initiate steps against the forest department because the issue is linked with Red sander smuggling. "Declining the proposal of constructing a road not only hit the sentiments of devotees and interest of pilgrims but also the state government loosing revenue in a big amount" he said.