Saraswati Pushkaralu spends raise hackles

Hyderabad: When, instead of going for tenders, government works relating to a 12-day-long riverine public festival are allotted on nomination basis, and that too on the recommendation of just one advisor; it is but natural that the actual spending will go haywire with the bulk of the money going to those who succeed in holding influence over the authorities and the powers that be. This exactly is what happened with the Endowments Department during the Saraswati Pushkaralu held during May 15-26 in Kaleshwaram in Bhupalpally district this year.

It is now alleged in informed quarters that senior officials in the Endowments Department have shown “undue generosity” in spending huge sums of money during the Saraswati Pushkaralu amid allegations that some of the works were given on nomination basis without following the tender process and the beneficiaries were paid excessively. Incidentally, this splurge went unabated even though the state has been reeling under severe financial stress and is not in a position to clear even dues of those who have retired from the government service.

Although the state government had allocated Rs 35 crore for organizing the Pushkaralu, the authorities made even the Kaleshwaram temple spend Rs 3 to Rs 4 crore additionally for the festival. For example, the government decided to have a 17-feet statue of Goddess Saraswati at the Sangam point in the River Godavari. For this alone, the authorities paid Rs 25 lakh as advance. And even today, they have no idea about the balance amount that needs to be paid.

Sources revealed that the statue was recommended by an advisor to the department. The sources also said that the advisor in question advised the authorities on many aspects while making the temple authorities spend money on them.

Some of such fabulous spends include the payment to a flutist-composer, who had quoted his fees as Rs 2 lakh and Rs 10.50 lakh for the entire team of performers like Rs 1.5 lakh to lyrics writer, Rs 1.5 lakh for those playing tabla, pakhawaj, dhol, mrudang etc. and others.

One advertising agency was paid a whopping Rs 2 crore for promoting the Pushkaralu through screens in the Pushkaralu site and across the village. 

The government spent almost Rs 20 crore for the tent city in the village and Rs 1 crore for upgrading Haritha Hotel at Kaleshwaram. Sources said that a cultural troop was engaged for performance during the 12 days of Pushkaralu. However, they laid down a condition that they will perform only if there is a “special set”.

The authorities therefore had to pay Rs 3 crore for this special set alone, sources said. “The troop which had to perform said they will not perform unless there is proper set and lighting. With this, they were provided with the same and the expenditure was between Rs 2 crore and Rs 3 crore,” said one official, who was associated with the arrangements.

In another example of ridiculously generous spending, a music composer quoted Rs 18 lakh for composing a Kaleshwaram temple harati number. The person associated with the Pushkaralu works said that though the money was spent ostensibly for making the festival grand, some of the individual spends during the festival were entirely unnecessary.

Fabulous spends

The government got it installed a 17-feet statue of Goddess Saraswati at the Sangam point in the River Godavari. For this, the authorities paid Rs 25 lakh as advance. And even today, nobody knows about the balance amount that needs to be paid!

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Some fabulous spends include the payment to a flutist-composer, who had quoted his fees as Rs 2 lakh and Rs 10.50 lakh for his team of performers like Rs 1.5 lakh to lyrics writer, Rs 1.5 lakh for those playing tabla, pakhawaj, dhol, mrudang etc and others!

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An advertising agency was paid a whopping Rs 2 crore for promoting the Pushkaralu through screens at the Pushkaralu site and across the village. The government spent almost Rs 20 crore for the tent city in the village and Rs 1 crore for upgrading Haritha Hotel at Kaleshwaram!