VIJAYAWADA: Endowments Deputy Commissioner MV Suresh Babu took charge as Executive Officer of Kanaka Durga temple here on Thursday. Until 2007-08, Suresh worked in Durga temple in various capacities and was promoted to the rank on an assistant commissioner and reported to the Endowments Department.
Speaking to media persons, Suresh Babu said that he would work in tune with Agama Shastras and coordinate with all the departments to stay away from controversies. Commenting on the recent controversies that came to light on the hill shrine, he said that all departmental staff, right from the bottom to top level, would be made aware of a set of guidelines and those could not be faulted, he said. There is a provision in the Act in which revenue employees can be posted at the temple if there are no qualified persons in the Endowments Department, he said.
In this regard, almost a month ago, representations were given to the Endowments Minister Vellampalli Srinivas Rao and Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy requesting them for posting only qualified endowments staff at the temple, thereby replacing the revenue employees, he said.
As part of the initiative, the government has appointed me as the EO of Durga temple, he said. Informing about his plans for organising Dasara festival this year, Suresh Babu said that an action plan would be drafted, involving all the departments for smooth conduct of the festivities on the hill shrine. Apart from that, foolproof arrangements would be made to ensure hassle-free darshan for devotees during the festivities, he said.