Graft: 16 temple staff face axe

Vijayawada: The endowments department suspended 16 employees, including superintendents, working in Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy temple (Durga temple) on charges of committing several irregularities in various sections of the temple. The temple executive officer, M V Suresh Babu, on Tuesday issued the suspension orders in this regard.

The endowments department has acted on a detailed report submitted by Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB), which conducted searches for three days in the temple and seized several records and hard discs. The ACB conducted a detailed inquiry and collected information from various sections before submitting the report.

Irregularities were noticed in saris section, stores, sanitation section, tickets issuing section, leasing section, Prasadam tickets, etc., P Arjuna Rao, the commissioner of endowments, told the media on Tuesday that investigation would continue into the irregularities committed in the temple and the department would take action against even the senior officials of the temple if their role was established. Temple EO M Suresh Babu issued orders suspending the following employees:

K Srinivasa Rao, superintendent, saris section, A Amruta Rao, superintendent, main stores, K Hari Krishna, superintendent, main stores, P Bhagya Jyothy, superintendent, sanitation, K Srinivasa Rao, superintendent, leases and Ravi Prasad, superintendent.

J Yedukondalu, attender, Prasadam tickets, P Rambabu, record assistant, photo counter, K Ramesh, record assistant, Arjitsa Seva, P Ravi Kumar, record assistant, Darsanam tickets, M S Prakasa Rao, junior assistant, sanitation section, Ch Chennakesava Rao, junior assistant, saris section, B Nageswara Rao, senior assistant, saris section, G Yashwant, senior assistant, leasing section, Padmavati, senior assistant.

Stores is very important section as stocks for making Prasadam and Annadanam are handled by it. The ACB also noticed recycling of darshan tickets during Dasara celebrations. It particularly mentioned the leasing of security contract to Max Security Solution.

The officials also noticed that extra amount was paid in the sanitation contracts. The opposition parties have raised a hue and cry over the irregularities taking place in the temple. This storm is unlikely to subside with the suspension of 16 employees on Tuesday for committing irregularities as the opposition parties are demanding the scalp of endowments minister Vellampalli Srinivas holding him responsible for the alleged rampant corruption in the temple affairs.