28 employees of Vemulawada temple transferred amid corruption allegations and protests; show cause notices issued to 12 staff members
Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy temple is known as Dakshina Kashi and is one of the famous Shiva temples in Telangana. (Image: X)
Karimnagar: In a surprise move, on Tuesday, the endowments department transferred as many as 28 employees of Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy temple in Vemulawada of Rajanna Sircilla district to other major temples in the state. These employees have been working in the temple for several years and this was for the first time such as a large number of temple employees being transferred at once.
Commissioner of the endowments department M. Hanumantha Rao issued orders transferring two assistant executive officers, seven supervisors, eight senior assistants, 10 junior assistants and one deputy executive engineer working at the Rajanna temple. The staff tried to halt the transfers by staging protests, citing health reasons and lobbying with MLAs Aadi Srinivas, Beerla Ilaiah, Ramchandra Naik and a few ministers. However, all their efforts have failed.
The endowments department grouped six major temples, Vemulawada, Yadagiri Gutta, Kondagattu, Komuravelli, Bhadrachalam and Basara temples, into a unit and carried out the transfers as per the options given by the employees. They need to join in their new positions within three days. Of the 214 regular staff at the Vemulawada temple, 70 have retired and 144 are working. The endowment department fixed 77 as the cadre strength of the temple and accordingly transferred 28 members of employees to various temples.
The sources said the transfers were made as several senior staff working in key departments have been facing corruption allegations. Officials of the vigilance department have conducted an inquiry and submitted a report to the state government urging it to take immediate action against the corrupt employees. Due to their attitude and negligence, the development of the temple has been lagging and basic amenities were not developed.
Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy temple is known as Dakshina Kashi and is one of the famous Shiva temples in Telangana. It attracts a huge number of devotees not only from Telangana but also from neighbouring states of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Lack of basic amenities is a major issue the devotees have been complaining about.
In a parallel development, responding to the vigilance report, the authorities of the endowment department issued show cause notices to 12 employees of the temple, including three assistant executive engineers, four supervisors, one senior assistant, two junior assistants and two outsourcing employees, while implementing increment cuts for them.
Commissioner of the endowments department M. Hanumantha Rao issued orders transferring two assistant executive officers, seven supervisors, eight senior assistants, 10 junior assistants and one deputy executive engineer working at the Rajanna temple. The staff tried to halt the transfers by staging protests, citing health reasons and lobbying with MLAs Aadi Srinivas, Beerla Ilaiah, Ramchandra Naik and a few ministers. However, all their efforts have failed.
The endowments department grouped six major temples, Vemulawada, Yadagiri Gutta, Kondagattu, Komuravelli, Bhadrachalam and Basara temples, into a unit and carried out the transfers as per the options given by the employees. They need to join in their new positions within three days. Of the 214 regular staff at the Vemulawada temple, 70 have retired and 144 are working. The endowment department fixed 77 as the cadre strength of the temple and accordingly transferred 28 members of employees to various temples.
The sources said the transfers were made as several senior staff working in key departments have been facing corruption allegations. Officials of the vigilance department have conducted an inquiry and submitted a report to the state government urging it to take immediate action against the corrupt employees. Due to their attitude and negligence, the development of the temple has been lagging and basic amenities were not developed.
Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy temple is known as Dakshina Kashi and is one of the famous Shiva temples in Telangana. It attracts a huge number of devotees not only from Telangana but also from neighbouring states of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Lack of basic amenities is a major issue the devotees have been complaining about.
In a parallel development, responding to the vigilance report, the authorities of the endowment department issued show cause notices to 12 employees of the temple, including three assistant executive engineers, four supervisors, one senior assistant, two junior assistants and two outsourcing employees, while implementing increment cuts for them.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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