DEHRADUN: Prompted by the Ayodhya Ram temple donation theft controversy, the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) has ordered stricter monitoring and financial transparency across the 52 shrines under its charge in Uttarakhand.
BKTC CEO Sohan Singh Rangad has issued an office memorandum directing all officials at donation counting centres, accounts sections, treasuries, rest houses and puja counters to maintain complete transparency in recording offerings, donations, gifts, rents and other incomes.
The move comes days after reports of alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ayodhya temple made headlines.
“Instructions have been issued to increase transparency and monitoring in the temples under BKTC,” BKTC President Hemant Dwivedi told to TNIE.
The CEO has directed that any negligence or irregularity will invite strict action against the concerned officials and employees.
In the circular issued on Thursday, the committee cited the Ayodhya reports as the reason for the pre-emptive caution.
“To ensure that no complaint or dispute arises in future in temples under the Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee, it is necessary to exercise special vigilance,” the letter stated.
Officials have been told to keep a special watch and ensure proper documentation at every stage, from collection at puja counters to final entry in account books.
The committee said a transparent system not only strengthens devotees’ faith but also shields institutions from allegations and disputes.
The memorandum warns that if any irregularity, malpractice or complaint surfaces in future, strict action will be taken against the concerned officer or employee.
BKTC-administered temples, including Badrinath and Kedarnath, receive crores of rupees in donations annually.
The figure rises sharply during the Char Dham Yatra season when lakhs of pilgrims visit the hills. The 52 temples under the BKTC include 47 major shrines.
Apart from Badrinath and Kedarnath, the list covers Triyuginarayan, Narsingh Temple, Vishwanath, Omkareshwar, Kalimath, Brahmkapal, Tapt Kund, Shankaracharya Samadhi, Madmaheshwar, Tungnath, Rudranath, Kalpeshwar, Yogdhyan Badri, Bhavishya Badri, Adi Badri, Vridh Badri, Mata Murti, Vasudev, Gaurikund, Adikedarshwar, the five Badri shilas, five dhara waterfalls, Usha temple at Ukhimath, Kalishila and Vasudhara.
With pilgrimage footfall expected to rise in the coming months, the committee said that the new directives aim to prevent any controversy and maintain public trust.
“Transparency is non-negotiable when it comes to devotees’ offerings. We do not want a repeat of what happened elsewhere,” a senior official said.