Latest news with #SimhachalamDevasthanam
Hans India
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Axing posts of negligent officials indicates a serious warning
Visakhapatnam: The decision taken by the state government on Simhachalam wall collapse incident indicates a stern warning against negligent officials irrespective of the positions they hold. A week after the incident that took place at Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple during the 'Chandanotsavam' festival on April 30, the state government suspended seven officials following a preliminary investigation report submitted by a three-member committee constituted to find out facts. The committee, led by Principal Secretary, Municipal Administration and Urban Development Suresh Kumar, Elite Anti-Narcotics Group for Law Enforcement (EAGLE) director Ake Ravi Krishna and engineer-in-chief, irrigation department Venkateswara Rao, spoke to the contractors, engineers and officials concerned before submitting the report. The fatal accident that occurred for the first time at Simhachalam where scores of devotees congregated to witness 'nijarupa' darshan of Lord Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy claimed seven lives and injured a few others. Earlier, when such major incidents took place, the action used to be against either mid-level or low-level cadre. But this time, the NDA government took serious action against the Executive Officer of Simhachalam Devasthanam and other officials from endowments and tourism departments. Executive Officer of Simhachalam Devasthanam K Subba Rao, temple executive engineer DG Srinivasa Raju, junior engineer K Babji and APTDC executive engineer K Ramana and assistant engineer P Madan Mohan along with temple deputy executive engineers KSN Murthy and ABVLR Swamy were suspended over the incident. Meanwhile, contractor Lakshmana Rao, who executed the wall construction, was blacklisted and criminal proceedings were initiated along with other two officials. When enquired, the contractor told the committee members that he was in a rush to build the wall before the festival. So far, the three-member committee submitted only a preliminary report to the state government. However, with the committee set to submit a detailed report in a month's time, there is a scope for axing a few more officials' posts. Following the wall collapse mishap, the attention is not just on probing its cause in various angles but also focusing on the works related to endowments plus tourism departments that are in progress at the temple. In the meantime, Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation corporator Peethala Murthy Yadav forwarded a letter to Central and state Chief Vigilance Commissioners, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and AP Tourism Minister Kandula Durgesh stating that there is an apparent misuse of funds related to the project works taken up as part of the PRASAD scheme. He further mentioned in the letter that the quality of works carried out by the engineers call for a detailed scrutiny as well. In line with the PRASAD scheme, a number of works have been taken up at Simhachalam Devasthanam to the tune of Rs.54 crore. For months, these works are being carried out and are in different stages of completion. As part of it, a queue complex at Utharagoparam, a four-floored commercial-cum-kalyana mandapam complex uphill, among others, were proposed by the Devasthanam officials. Apparently, after the wall collapse incident, what needs a larger attention is not just accelerating the pending works that are in progress but also the quality of works carried out.
Hans India
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
CM Naidu orders probe over Simhachalam wall collapse incident
Visakhapatnam: In the wake of the tragic wall collapse incident at Simhachalam temple happened during the 'Nijarupa darshan' organised on Wednesday that claimed devotees' lives and left others injured, the Andhra Pradesh government initiated swift measures to provide relief for the families of the victims. Responding to the incident, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu announced Rs.25 lakh ex-gratia for the deceased families each and Rs.3 lakh compensation for the injured who are undergoing treatment. The Chief Minister chaired a high-level teleconference with senior officials and ministers to review the situation and devise immediate measures to reach out to the victims and their families. Ministers Anam Ramanarayana Reddy, Dola Sree Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy, Vangalapudi Anitha, Anagani Satyaprasad, Visakhapatnam MP M Sribharat and Simhachalam Devasthanam Chairman Ashok Gajapathi Raju were part of the meeting. Expressing grief over the incident, the Chief Minister reviewed the causes that led to the accident and assessed medical assistance being provided to the injured through discussions involving district officials. Also, Naidu ordered a probe into the incident by constituting a three-member committee. To support the affected families, the government also decided to offer employment opportunities under the outsourcing system in temples managed by the Endowments Department.
The Hindu
27-04-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Two lakh devotees are expected to visit Simhachalam temple on Chandanotsavam day on April 30, says Andhra Pradesh Home Minister
Home Minister V. Anitha on Sunday inspected the arrangements being made for the annual Chandanotsavam festival of Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy, at Simhachalam here scheduled on April 30. She was accompanied by District Collector M.N. Harendhira Prasad, Commissioner of Police Shankabratha Bagchi, and Simhachalam Devasthanam officials. During her visit, Ms. Anitha inspected the queue lines and the other arrangements being made for the devotees. The Collector and the Joint Collector briefed her about the arrangements made so far. She also enquired about basic amenities, including drinking water, toilets, medical kiosks, Annadanam and prasadams distribution, being provided for devotees. She also questioned about the measures being taken in view of heatwave conditions. Later, the Home Minister also enquired about the security arrangements, deployment of police personnel, CCTV cameras, traffic movement, crowd management mechanism and transportation facilities for the festival. Speaking to the media, Ms. Anitha said that every year, around 1.20 lakh to 1.40 lakh people visit the temple to witness the 'Nijaroopa' darshanam of the deity. But in recent times, the number of devotees thronging the major temples during the festival days in Vijayawada, Tirupati, Srisailam etc has seen at least 30% increase. Keeping this in view, we are expecting two lakh devotees to visit Simhachalam on the day, the Home Minister said. She said that the State government was giving high priority to the general devotees and strict directions were issued to ensure they do not face any inconvenience. Special attention would be also paid to the differently-abled, women with infants and elderly persons, she said. She also said that special buses would be arranged to transport devotees to the temple. 'Milk, buttermilk, biscuits, prasadams will be distributed to the devotees throughout the queue lines. Fans were arranged at almost every place. Wherever there are no fans, we will also issue hand-pankhas to the devotees in view of the heat,' Ms. Anitha said.
