Bhadrachalam: Authorities waiting for guidelines from Endowments department

Bhadrachalam: The State government giving clearance to open places of worship across the State from June 8 is like music to the ears of devotees, especially to the temple employees and priests, who have been suffering with meagre salaries.

The authorities of Sri Sita Ramachandra Swamy devasthanam are eagerly waiting for the guidelines from Endowments department for opening the temple.

It is known to all that in the wake of coronavirus outbreak, the government has imposed lockdown since March 22 and since then Bhadradri temple has been closed. With this, employees and priests are facing financial problems due to the half salaries. Another major problem is that there are no funds with the temple to pay the salaries of May to temple staff and priests.

At this time, permission to open temples is good news to devotees, employees and priests and the temple officials are gearing up to resume temple activities hoping that the financial position will be on track soon once the temple is opened. The officials are planning on how to maintain the temple and what are the norms that must be followed in the wake of coronavirus.

At the same time, the temple officials are also worried what to do with elderly and children, who will visit the temple, who are more prone to getting infected with the virus. They have decided to sanitise every devotee at the entrance of queue line and everyone should maintain social distancing. For this, the officials planned to draw boxes in queue lines and masks are compulsory. It was initially decided to reduce the number of nithya kalyanam programme and also thinking to restrict vehicles to be parked near the temple.

Speaking to the media, temple EO G Narasimhulu said that they are ready to resume temple activities from June 8 but waiting for the instructions and guidelines from the Endowment department'.