VIJAYAWADA: After many complaints of traders collecting excessive prices from devotees for good and services in temples and its surrounding shops came to fore, the Endowments department on Friday issued orders to all temple executive officers (EOs) in the State instructing them to form a vigilance wing from the revenue section on the lines of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD). The wing should conduct regular raids to ensure the goods and services remain affordable for the customers.
According to the orders, Endowments Commissioner Hari M Jawaharlal said the decision was taken in the interest of pilgrims visiting temples from various parts of the State and other States. He observed that hiking prices during rush days like festivals cause inconvenience to the devotees. “In order to prevent such incidents, there is a need to put a system in place,” he observed.
He further told the EOs to ensure that no commodity or goods shall be sold beyond the MRP in the licensed shops run on the temple premises. The respective temple EO should fix the affordable prices of items like coconuts, flowers, garlands, vegetables and food items in consultation with the agriculture and civil supplies department to maintain uniform prices.
“Every licensee must display a list of specific prices set by the government or temple authorities visible to the devotees in front of their shops. The licence should be revoked if the shop owner behaved rudely to the devotees or sold the goods at a higher rate than MRP or violated the rules set by the temple authorities,” the order reads. The EOs with the help of the civil supplies department should ensure that other private shops set up near temples follow the new rules.
Fair deal for devotees
EOs should ensure that no commodity or goods shall be sold beyond the MRP in the licensed shops run on the temple premises. Temple EO should fix the affordable prices of items like coconuts, flowers & food items. EOs should give instructions to the licensees on how to behave to the devotees