Kadapa, July 26, 2013: Kadapa Assistant Commissioner of Endowments G. Mallikarjuna Prasad conducted a grievance cell to redress the grievances of temple archakas, the first of its kind in the State, in Sri Someswara Swamy kalyana mantapam here on Thursday.

76 representations

Archakas of various temples from all over the district submitted 76 representations to the Assistant Commissioner.

The major grievances put forth by them was that they were not being paid salaries for three months and that funds for ‘dhoopam’, ‘deepam’ and ‘naivedyam’ in the temple were also not being disbursed for two months. They sought disbursal of salaries and the funds promptly every month.

Hereditary jobs

Some representations pertained to appeals to hand over temples with an annual income of less than Rs. 2 lakh per annum to archakas. Some archakas sought hereditary appointments in place of their deceased family heads who served as archakas.

They sought allotment of house sites and steps to check encroachment of temple lands.

Mr. Mallikarjuna Prasad said the grievance cell for archakas would be conducted every month as per the directions of the Endowments Commissioner. He assured steps to ensure prompt disbursal of salaries every month.

Superintendent of Endowments B. Sudhakar Reddy, Kadapa District Archaka Samakhya president I. Satyanarayana Sarma, secretary Satish Sarma and members Vijaya Kumar Bhattar and Sudhir Kumar and several archakas participated.

Source: The Hindu, July 26, 2013