Pandharpur Vitthal temple will be renovated — Kapoor

SOLAPUR, SEPT 20: District collector Deepak Kapoor, also the administrator of Shri Vitthal Rukmini Temple Committee at Pandharpur, has de...

SOLAPUR, SEPT 20: District collector Deepak Kapoor, also the administrator of Shri Vitthal Rukmini Temple Committee at Pandharpur, has decided to undertake an ambitious project to renovate the temple which is one of the most important pilgrim centres in the State.

Kapoor who was appointed as administrator of the temple by a court order issued last month yesterday held a meeting of the staff of the temple and issued them instructions to make the temple complex clean and beautiful.

Kapoor has planned to involve various voluntary agencies and educational institutions to maintain round-the-clock cleanliness at the temple complex.

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A meeting of the heads of the city-based secondary schools and colleges will be convened soon in this regard. It is planned to entrust each educational institution with the responsibility of maintaining cleanliness for three days at the pilgrim centre for three days. The cleanliness and beautification project will be launched next week.

The temple administrator has also organised purchase of all the equipment essential for keeping the temple area clean. The temple staff has been instructed to maintain cleanliness in the inner parts of the temple. The “nirmalya” or the used flowers and other items collected during the worship at the temple will henceforth be kept at barrels. The “nirmalya” and the garbage collected in the barrels will be disposed of everyday at 11 am and 7 pm. It is also planned to provide additional toilet facilities for the pilgrims.

Kapoor has also ordered immediate implementation of the wage agreement according to which the temple staff will be given a wage hike.