Thin crowds at ghats in eastern Krishna

No river water in canals downstream Prakasam Barrage

A scene at the ghat at Campbell aqueduct.

: Several ghats across the Eastern Krishna district wore a deserted look, owing to the presence of seawater in them.

Just about 1,000 pilgrims had visited the two ghats at Campbell aqueduct by afternoon on Wednesday and very few pilgrims took a holy a dip at the ghats in Machilipatnam. In some ghats, the number of police personnel and other staff was much higher than that of pilgrims.

“Only pilgrims who are determined to perform pinda pradanam are visiting the ghats, ” say personnel on duty at the ghats. At important ghats such as Campbell aqueduct, which is close to the Mopidevi temple, there is only sea water. At many ghats arranged on the banks of canals of the river Krishna there is no water.

On Wednesday, no pilgrim was seen at the ghats at Khalekhanpeta in Machilipatnam. Lack of availability of river water in the ghats downstream Prakasam Barrage since the commencement of Krishna Pushkaram has left the pilgrims disappointed.