‘Weak’ structures may not be able to withstand weight of rush of the devotees for a holy dip during Maha Pushkarams
Workers paint a railing on Godavari river water tank at Dharmapuri, Karimnagar district on Tuesday in the backdrop of ghats built along rivers that donot have water in them. (Photo: DC)
Gudem (Adilabad): The poor quality of construction at Pushkara ghats at various places might become a life-threatening situation for devotees. The ghats might not be able to withstand the weight of the huge number of devotees when they assemble to take holy dips in the river Godavari during the upcoming Pushkaralu.
The Pushkar ghats at Gudem have already developed cracks and contractors are now patching up the patches and corners of the steps to cover up their poor work.
Minister for irrigation T. Harish Rao, who visited the Gudem Pushkara ghats, expressed his displeasure with the poor work at the Pushkar ghats and questioned Mancherial MLA Diwakar Rao about the same during the Chief Minister’s tour.
Gudem is slated to witness the largest crowds during the Pushkaralu and there is a possibility of devotees falling from the steps of the ghats in the surge of bodies. It has been alleged that MPs, MLAs and local TRS leaders have allocated road works and Pushkara ghat works to their close associates and relatives.
The state government had extended the final date for finishing the works from June 30 to July 10. Minister for endowment Allola Indrakaran Reddy had fist declared that all the works related to Godavari Pushkaralu would be completed one month before the beginning of the Pushkaralu.
Initially only eight Pushkara ghats were planned at important places on the banks of the river Godavari in the district but the number increase to 34 ghats at 30 places in 15 mandals.
There have been allegations that the number of Pushkara ghats has increased unexpectedly for the benefit of the contractors and local political leaders.
According to official sources, Rs 125 crore has been released for construction works of Pushkara ghats, internal roads, toilets and other works at 30 places in the district.
The indiscriminate sand mining along Godavari, especially at Mancherial and Chennur areas, is also posing to be a threat to the devotees attending the Pushkaralu thanks to the huge ditches on the riverbed.
Three members of a family had slipped into a ditch while offering pinda pradanam at Chennur a few months ago. The special officer for Adilabad for Godavari Pushkaralu, Mr Adhar Sinha, had expressed his displeasure over the poor quality of road works to the ghats at Mancherial recently. It was found that Pushkara ghat works at Soan was also not up to the mark along with road works at Basar.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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