ALAPPUZHA: The Travancore Devaswom Board vigilance inquiry report has found violation of transfer norms in the Amabalappuzha Sreekrishna Swamy temple. The report which was submitted by Mr Ratheesh Krishnan, chief vigilance and security officer, TDB, to its president on April 25 said most of the employees were working in the temple breaching the transfer norms in the TDB rule book.
The report said there were 41 employees except the administrative officer (AO) currently in the temple. "Many of them have been serving there for over three years. Those who got transfer have regained their posting again in the temple with influence. Action can be taken against those who completed a three-year term and who got posting one more time in the temple,” it said.
The employees have secured a stay order from the High Court till the investigation on the disappearance of pendant from the temple is over.
According to the TDB sources, the employees indulge in corrupt practises even in the distribution of offerings.
The vigilance prepared the report in connection with the disappearance of the pendant in April, which was recovered in May. This is not the first time the temple employees were caught-read handed. The assistant commissioner, Amabala-ppuzha group, issued an order on April 20 saying that no person other than the melsaanthi from Karaazhma (hereditary right) family should involve in the temple affairs.
However, defying it, melasaanthi Baburaj Namboodiri, who was under suspension for serious lapse, continued to function as melassanthi.
The temple authorities also let Yedukrishnan Namboodiri, a relative of Baburaj, to serve as his helper. Both were removed after DC carried a report on October 3 titled ‘Another tale of Travancore Devaswom Board bias emerges.’
A decade ago, a golden accessory fitted to an umbrella, part of the accoutrements used only for the annual festival procession, went missing due to the lapse of employees.
As per an RTI reply received on August 14, 2013, the board had decided to censure K.S. Sujatha Kumari, the then AO, considering the lapses on her part. She was never taken to task though she was accused of many cases of misappropriation at the temple.
