Efforts on to protect endowments lands across AP: Pawan

I S Jagannadhapuram (Eluru): The properties of temples and choultries situated across the State should be protected, said Deputy Chief Minister K Pawan Kalyan. Participating in the Deepam-2 programme at I S Jagannadhapuram village in Eluru district on Friday, Pawan said that the officials should closely study all the records regarding the temple properties and prepare an action plan to protect them.

He expressed concern over either alienation or encroached of 60,000 acres of Endowments properties across the State. The Endowments officials should list the alienated or encroached properties and take them back as per the law. Earlier, the officials and Archakas of Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple welcomed Pawan Kalyan with the traditional Poornakumbham. The Deputy Chief Minister participated in Sudarsana, Narasimha, Dhanwantari, Garuda, Anjaneya and Subrahmany Ananta Homam at the temple. He held a meeting with Endowments Commissioner Satyanarayana, Panchayat Raj Commissioner Krishna Teja, Eluru District Collector Vetri Selvi, SP Kommi Siva Pratap, Joint collector Dhatri Reddy and others.

Later, addressing the officials, the Deputy Chief Minister wanted to know what the officials were doing to protect the 50 acres of temple lands. He also wanted to know whether there were permissions to quarry the hillock in the village.

Pawan said that the State government was committed for the protection of girl students and women. Stern action should be taken against the persons who caused trouble to them. He instructed the District Collector and the SP to review the protection arrangements for the girl students in the social welfare hostels. The girl students are facing the problems of lack of bathrooms and the officials should provide them. Tourism Minister Kandula Durgesh, MLAs of Eluru and West Godavari also participated.