Deadline over, arrangements yet to be completed

Warangal: Even as just a fortnight is left for the historic Sammakka Saralamma Jatara to begin here, the arrangements and majority of construction works are yet to be completed.

Despite the claims by the district administration and ministers who said all the works would be finished by January 31, the ground situation is different and it could seemingly cause difficulty to the devotees arriving here for the Jatara, held from January 17 to 20.

Lack of drinking water and toilets is making the pilgrims discomfort as the rush of devotees has already began. On an average, about 10, 000 devotees are arriving daily and the numbers reaching two lakhs on Sundays and holidays.
The construction of temporary toilets is still at basement level at many places and they are yet to be provided water connectivity. This in turn is leading to open defecation at the place and could cause serious health hazards.

‘There is no water facility and toilets and due to which the devotees are facing great troubles,’ lamented a devotee called P Raja Reddy of Munjampalli in Karimnagar district.

The district administration has first set the deadline of December 15 for the completion of works and as the works moved a slow place the deadline is extended to January first and then January 31. Nevertheless, about 40 percent of works are said to be pending still to be completed.

This happens even after District Collector V Karuna strictly told the officials to ensure completion of works by January 31 during her inspection of works on January 27 at Medaram. It was learnt that the officials are unable to pressurise the contractors to speed up the works as they are connected to the ruling party.

The State government released about Rs 105 crore towards the arrangements for departments like R&B, RWS, panchayat raj, minor irrigation, electricity department, tribal department and others. National Highways released Rs 47 crore for repairs on Warangal-Bhoopalapatnam stretch on NH 163.

The works under R&B, RWS, panchayat raj and National Highways are going at a slow pace. The double road works between Pasra and Tadwai and laying of new road between Pasra-Medaram are still going on causing hindrance to vehicular traffic.

Similarly the works of shopping complexes, road between Orattam to Kondai, culverts between Pasra to Medaram on highway and new bathing ghats at Jampanna vagu are still running behind schedule.

‘Every time the officials and the government claim that arrangements would be completed much ahead of the Jatara. But it never happens. Since 2002 the government spent nearly Rs 350 crores on the Jatara arrangements yet no permanent infrastructure developed here’ complained an Adivasi Sangham leader Komuram Prabhakar.

Responding over the delay of the works, the Medaram Jatara Executive Officer T Ramesh Babu told The Hans India that only five percent works remained to be completed and they would be finished within four to five days.