Dharmasthala management authority to be formed: K’taka minister

PTI, Dec 18, 2022, 12:40 PM IST

Image Courtesy: Twitter/Anand Singh

Mangaluru: The Karnataka government will establish a Dharmasthala management authority with the aim of protecting the sanctity of the Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala, state Tourism Minister Anand Singh has said.

Speaking after inaugurating the renovated bathing ghat on the banks of Nethravati river at Dharmasthala on Saturday, he said Dakshina Kannada deputy commissioner M R Ravikumar and Belthangady MLA Harish Poonja have been asked to submit a proposal to the government in this regard.

Singh said the sacred pilgrimage centre will be free of liquor shops and non-vegetarian eateries. Any activity that defiles Dharmasthala will not be allowed in the temple surroundings, he said.

ಪ್ರವಾಸೋದ್ಯಮ ಇಲಾಖೆ ಹಾಗೂ ಜಿಲ್ಲಾಡಳಿತದ ವತಿಯಿಂದ ದಕ್ಷಿಣ ಕನ್ನಡ ಜಿಲ್ಲೆಯ ಬೆಳ್ತಂಗಡಿ ತಾಲ್ಲೂಕು ಶ್ರೀ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರ‌ ಧರ್ಮಸ್ಥಳದಲ್ಲಿ ಕೈಗೊಳ್ಳಲಾಗುವ ಸ್ನಾನಘಟ್ಟ ಅಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿಯ ಕಾಮಗಾರಿಯನ್ನು ರಾಜ್ಯಸಭಾ ಸದಸ್ಯರೂ‌ ಆದ ಶ್ರೀ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರ‌ ಧರ್ಮಸ್ಥಳದ ಧರ್ಮಾಧಿಕಾರಿಗಳಾದ ಶ್ರೀ ಡಾ.ಡಿ. ವೀರೇಂದ್ರ ಹೆಗ್ಗಡೆ ಅವರೊಂದಿಗೆ ಇಂದು ಉದ್ಘಾಟಿಸಲಾಯಿತು. pic.twitter.com/J76LSWYDMr

— Anand Singh (@AnandSinghBS) December 17, 2022

The bathing ghat at Dharmasthala was renovated at a cost of Rs 4.8 crore jointly by the tourism and public works departments. The ghat will be further developed at a cost of Rs 5 crore, the minister said.

Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari (hereditary administrator) and Rajya Sabha member D Veerendra Heggade and MLC Prathap Simha Nayak were among those present.