MADURAI: Members of Hindu Temple Protection Committee has urged Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami to review the fire safety measures taken in all the temples following the fire accident in Meenakshi Amman Temple last year. They also want the government to withdraw a recent circular that mandates collection of fee for the custody of mobile phones at Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam.
In a statement, State vice president of Hindu Temple Protection Committee P Sundaravadivel said that 10 days after the fire broke out at Veera Vasantharayar Mandapam at Meenakshi Amman temple on February 2 last year, safety measures to be followed by temples managed by Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) department were drafted during a meeting chaired by the Chief Minister.
In the backdrop of the fire accident, the High Court had issued a direction to ban the use of mobile phones on the temple premises. “Abiding by it, the authorities of Meenakshi Amman temple started collecting the mobile phones of the devotees at the temple entrance for keeping them in safe custody by charging Rs 10,” Sundaravadivel said, adding that with the temple generating crores of income through donations, rent and entrance fee, collection of fee for the keeping the mobile phones in safe custody has upset the devotees.
“Instead, the department and the temple authorities could take steps to ensure custody of mobile phones for free or must install mobile phone signal jammer devices,” he pointed out.
The committee further requested the Chief Minister to direct the joint commissioner to withdraw a recent circular that mandates collection of fee for the custody of mobile phones at the Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam.