Guntur: Arrangements in full swing for Kotappakonda festivities

Guntur: Joint Collector AS Dinesh Kumar directed the officials to make arrangements in a big way to conduct Kotappakonda festivities (Maha Sivaratri) on March 1, with the coordination of all the departments. He addressed a meeting at Kotappakonda in Guntur district on Friday.

Speaking on this occasion, he recalled that the government has already declared Kotappakonda festivities as a State festival and stressed on the need to follow Covid-19 protocol in the backdrop of steep increase of corona cases. The officials were directed to make arrangements in a big way at Kotappakonda for the convenience of devotees visiting the temple and see that devotees would have peaceful darshan at Trikoteswara Swamy. He instructed the officials not to compromise on sanitation and arrange sufficient dustbins.

The Joint Collector stressed on the need to supply drinking water and butter milk to devotees visiting the temple on Maha Sivaratri celebrations to be held on March 1. He directed the officials not to compromise security arrangements and traffic management and gave suggestions on traffic management to the officials concerned. The officials were told to set up closed circuit cameras, to complete road divider works and central lighting works at the earliest, not to allow devotees inside the temple without face masks, and medical department officials were told to set up Covid-19 testing centers. "If test result is positive, that person will be sent to quarantine," the JC stated.

MLA Dr Gopireddy Srinivasa Reddy said that they are expecting at least 10 lakh devotees to visit Kotappakonda during Maha Sivaratri. Noting that devotees rush will increase from February 28 to March 5, he said that they have prepared an action plan to make Kotappakonda festivities a success.

Joint Collector K Sridhar Reddy, Narasaraopet RDO Sesha Reddy, ZPCEO Srinivasa Reddy, DWAMA Project Director Meera Prasad and DMHO J Yasmin were present.