Lord Someswara temple renovated with ` 6 cr: Mekapati Goutham Reddy

Nellore: Industries Minister Mekapati Goutham Reddy announced the government will renovate the ancient Someswara temple in Somasila where some idols washed away during the recent floods. Inspecting the temple on the banks of Penna River at Somasila on Thursday, he promised the government would install new idols at an estimated cost of Rs 6 crore and added they would also construct bunds and retaining walls to protect the villages abutting the Penna River from inundation.

The minister said they would get the opinion of experts in Agama tradition and seers to bring old glory to the place disregarding the cost. Goutham Reddy said he would take the issue to the notice of Chief Minister and reconstruct the temple to withstand floods. Energy and forests Minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy assured that they would remake the Someswara Swamy temple. He also expressed anger over the people who spread rumours over breaches to Somasila dam on social media.

Further, Goutham Reddy promised to shift families living in low-lying areas to safer places. The industries minister along with Balineni Srinivasa Reddy and Collector KVN Chakradhar Babu visited several flood-affected villages apart from the Somasila project in the Atmakur constituency and distributed essential commodities to the victims of the floods.