CM Yediyurappa lays foundation for MM Hills development works

Chamarajnagar: Amid drizzling rain Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa visited Male Mahadeshwara temple at MM Hills on Thursday. He later inaugurated developmental projects worth Rs 13.84 crore and laid the foundation stone for projects worth Rs 109.93 crore taken up by the temple authority at a function organized at Ranga mandira at MM Hills in Hanur taluk.

The CM said as part of overall development of the temple and MM Hills as pilgrim and tourism destinations, the government and temple development authority have taken up the works. The CM is the chairperson of the temple development authority.

The authority has provided drinking water and drainage facilities in the temple surrounding areas as part of its social responsibility, the CM said and stressed the need for completing the works within stipulated time. Mr Yediyurappa also called for stringent measures for maintenance of cleanliness and implementation of Covid precautionary measures. "The pilgrim centre is located in the lap of nature's beauty and it's our responsibility to protect it. Measures should be taken to ensure proper disposal of plastic and other waste to preserve natural beauty of the place."

He inaugurated dormitories which can accommodate 720 people, a video conference hall at Nagamale Bhavan, an information centre, a canteen, renovated VIP building within the temple premises, toilets, Kalyani (tank) near 'Anthara gange', a sewage water treatment plant and others. Besides this, he laid the foundation stone for a 512-room guest house, dormitories to accommodate 30 people, building to prepare laadus (prasada), queue complex, roads from Dasoha Bhavan to helipad, etc. The CM described his visit to MM Hills as fulfilling.

He assured of upgrading primary health care centre at MM Hills which is catering to 18,000 people of 29 villages.

Muzrai minister Kota Srinivaspoojari said that the CM will take up measures to give pension and life insurance cover to priests at 34,000 temples in the State. Sapthapadi, the mass marriage programme organized in temples across the State, would be revived soon he said. The State government-sponsored programme was halted due to the Covid pandemic.

Deputy Chief Minister Govinda Karajola, Education Minister Suresh Kumar, Suttur Math seer Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Swamy ji, Hanur MLA Narendra, Saaloor Math senior seer Sri Guru Swamy ji, Saaloor Math head, Sri Shanthamallikarjuna swamy, Chamarajnagar Deputy Commissioner M R Ravi, ZP CEO Boyal Harshal Narayan Rao, and others participated.

Addressing media persons after chairing temple development authority meeting, the CM said there would be no fund constraint for the development of MM Hills. The temple authority decided to adopt 10 government schools in the area to provide all basic facilities, he said.

The Chief Minister took time off to participated in the Constitution Day event. Due to inclement weather triggered by Nivar cyclone, he cancelled his plans to travel by helicopter to Bengaluru. He left for the state capital in a car.