Telangana to seek national festival status for Medaram Jatara

Medaram (Jayashanker Bhupalpally): The State government would ask the Centre to announce the biannual Medaram Sammakka Saralamma Jatara as national festival, informed Deputy Chief Minister K Srihari.

He chaired a meeting here on Friday to review the arrangements for the jatara to be held from January 31 to February 3 next year at Medaram village. During the meeting, a resolution was passed appealing the Centre to announce jatara as national festival.

The copies of the resolution would be sent to the Central government through the State tribal development department. The MPs and ministers from the State would make efforts to get national festival recognition to the jatara as well as to ensure central funds, the Deputy CM noted.

He said Medaram jatara is the biggest tribal congregation in Asia. During last jatara, nearly one crore devotees will visit Medaram and this year it is expected that nearly 1.20 crore devotees from across Telangana and neighbouring states would arrive here.

Proposals worth Rs 104 crores towards making arrangements have been submitted to the government and the funds would soon be released. Officials should complete work estimations and call work tenders to complete the arrangements by Jan 15, Srihari suggested.

As the devotees have faced trouble due to shortage of drinking water and toilets during the last jatara, care should be taken to prevent such problems from reoccurring. Steps to ensure 24 hours medical services during jatara have to be taken.

Widening of roads, culvert repairs, setting up sign boards have to be taken up on Mulug, Tadwai, Bhupalpally and Kataram roads that connects to Medaram. Similarly, internal roads at Medaram have to be laid along with parking lots. Sufficient numbers of TS RTC buses have to be kept ready.

Since the strength of official and employees in Bhupalpally district would not suffice to look after jatara arrangements and its conduct, the services of officials from erstwhile Warangal district would be made use of, the Deputy CM pointed out.

The MP, A Seetaram Naik, wanted the officials to see that tribal culture should be reflected in organising the jatara. Tribal welfare department secretary Benhur Mahesh Dutt Ekka wanted effective coordination between the 20 government departments that look after the jatara arrangements.

Bhupalpally Collector A Murali informed that at district-level they have conducted five review meetings on jatara arrangements. Work estimates for engineering works are completed as soon as the funds are released.

ZP chairperson G Padma, MLA Ch Dharma Reddy, Warangal Urban and Rural District Collectors Amrapali Kata and Prashanth J Patil, CP G Sudheer Babu and others took part in the meeting.