Survey properties of all govt-funded temples, instructs Min Jolle to officials

Team Udayavani, Aug 18, 2021, 4:16 PM IST

Bengaluru: Muzarai, Wakf and Haj Minister Sasikala Jolle has instructed officials to conduct surveys of temple properties under its jurisdiction.

On Wednesday, Jolle performed the pooja of her new office and held a meeting with the officials and asked them to take district-wise stock of all A, B and C class temples under the Muzarai Department and survey the property belonging to them.

She also advised the officials to give top priority to cleanliness in temples under the purview of the department. She also asked them to ensure steps are taken to provide necessary infrastructure including drinking water and toilet facilities to devotees.

Jolle also reviewed the schemes available to the public from the Muzarai Department and how many pilgrim residences are there for accommodation for devotees near the temples.

She urged the officials to provide information on the scope of construction of new pilgrim residences near the temples.

She also asked them to get information about the State government’s land near Pandarapur and Tuljabhavani temples in Maharashtra for the construction of Tirupati-model yatri nivas.

She asked the officials to visit the Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh and find a site for the construction of a pilgrim residence for the devotees from Karnataka visiting it.

Similarly, the minister also instructed the officials to give a status report on building pilgrim residences near famous temples in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Instead of imposing a complete ban on entry to temples in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, she asked them to know what steps could be taken to allow entry to specific devotees in a phased manner.

The minister held discussions with the Additional Managing Director of the Waqf and Haj Department Sarfaraz Khan and took stock of the programmes being conducted at the Haj Bhavan. Officials informed her that presently Haj Bhavan is being used as a COVID centre.

Muzarai Department Commissioner Rohini Sinduri and other senior officials of the department were present at the meeting.