The Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Samithi has charged that the government’s power utility firms are demanding exorbitant charges from the Ganesh pandal organisers for power supply connections during the celebrations next month in the capital.
Every year, eSeva centres authorities charge Rs. 100 for power supply connections for each pandal but this year they were demanding Rs. 750 from the pandal organisers.
“It is the duty of the government to provide power supply, ensure sanitation and basic amenities for pandal organisers,” said Bhagwanth Rao, general secretary of the Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Samithi.
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“We request the Ganesh pandal organisers bring it to the notice of samithi if the authorities demand exorbitant charges. We will not hesitate to take up the issue upto the Chief Minister also. We demand free power and other facilities for the pandal organisers,” said Mr. Rao while addressing a press conference here on Friday.
He also alleged that the police personnel were harassing youngsters and insisting on permission being taken for installing the Ganesh idols.
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Youth welfare associations will have to intimate the police about their pandals and no permission was required for installing the idols, claimed Mr. Rao.
66,000 idols this year
Last year, 60,000 idols were installed at different localities in Hyderabad and Cyberabad limits and this year it is expected that another 6,000 more idols would be installed, he added.
The samithi is also conducting a public meeting at Nizam College grounds on September 1 from 4.30 p.m. onwards. Vishwa Hindu Parishat senior leader Ashok Singhal, Swamy Chinmayananda, Swamy Paripurnananda and others would address the gathering, he added. Samithi president G. Raghava Reddy, samithi secretary R. Shashidhar and others were present on the occasion.