Efforts taken by the Madras High Court Bench here to give a facelift to Rameswaram Municipality as a tribute to former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam received a fillip on Friday with three Advocate Commissioners coming out with suggestions, including sanctioning of Rs.100 crore, for the town under the Centre’s Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT).
The commissioners — S. Srinivasa Raghavan, S.S. Sundar and N. Krishnaveni — also submitted that Sringeri Sankarachariyar had consented to shift the first six ‘Theerthams’ (holy waterbodies) in Ramanathaswamy Temple from their existing locations to another place in order to ensure that the temple premises did not get dirty due to pilgrims walking around with wet clothes from one Theertham to another.
Stating that the shifting would take place after obtaining formal consent from the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Commissioner, the advocates suggested that the temple administration could also create a separate elevated pathway, with water draining facilities, for the exclusive use of devotees who wish to take a dip in all the seven theerthams in the temple complex.
The other suggestions included imposition of spot fine on those who litter Agni Theertham and four car streets, taking stringent action against water bailers who demand exorbitant amount of money from devotees at Theertham sites, regulating vehicle parking outside the temple, establishing a dispensary to provide first aid and providing wheelchairs for the aged and physically challenged devotees.
The advocate commissioners also stated that the Collector should be directed to set up a shelter for the mentally challenged abandoned by their family members at the temple besides initiating appropriate action against an individual who had been collecting money over and above the prescribed fee, from vehicles that enter into Rameswaram Municipality, at a toll gate situated before the Pamban bridge.
“It (demanding more money than the amount displayed on a notice board at the toll gate) creates a very bad first impression for those who visit Rameswaram either to have a darshan of the deity of the temple or to pay homage to our former President or both,” the commissioners said and recommended many more facilities including sufficient lighting, introducing mobile toilets and controlling stray cattle.
‘The Collector should be directed to set up a shelter for the mentally challenged, abandoned by their family members’
