BENGALURU: Karnataka Minister for Religious Endowment Ramalinga Reddy said that starting August 15, all kinds of plastic, including covers and bottles, will be completely banned in state-managed temples. Several temples use plastic covers to distribute prasada, plastic bottles for theerthas, and plastic sachets to give devotees kumkuma.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Reddy said that starting August 15 this year, the government will begin plastic-free campaigns in temples. All the temples will be given two months’ time to dispose of existing plastic stock.
Reddy directed the officials to provide details of all the temples, including the land, in the next three months. He also directed the officials to complete documentation of the remaining 20,000 acres belonging to temples.
“If the temple does not have khata in its name or the temple does not have property documents, a survey has to be done and the process has to be completed in the three months,” the minister said.