Chilkur temple to be ‘plastic-free’
Monday, 27.07.2009, 10:14am (GMT+5.5)
Chilkur, the home of ‘Visa Balaji’, will soon be ‘plastic-free’, going by a pilot project initiated by the Temple Management Committee making available to thousands of devotees bags made of handloom cloth supplied by APCO.
In about a fortnight, devotees visiting the temple will be able to buy cloth bags for use during their visit. Committee chairman and founder-convener of the Temples Protection Committee M.V. Soundara Rajan told The Hindu that the proposal was welcomed by B. Srinivasa Reddy, Minister for Handlooms and Textiles.
In the first week of July, the Minister convened a meeting attended by Mr. Soundara Rajan and his son Rangarajan on behalf of the temple and government represented by APCO Managing Director E. Yellappa and Director, Handlooms and Textiles I.V. Naresh.
Order placed
It was agreed that APCO would supply ‘cotton scrap’ cloth at affordable rates. Consequently, the committee placed an initial order of Rs. 5,000 worth of raw material which would be enough for 1,000 bags.
Mr. Soundara Rajan said the material was now with local Self-Help Groups and others offering tailoring services at the ‘Mahila Pranganam’ nearby. The bags are expected to be ready in a week.
The programme is likely to be launched by August 15. Apart from the interest shown by Mr. Reddy, it is said that Finance Minister K. Rosaiah was keen on the pilot project.
Mr. Reddy said depending on the devotees’ response, similar projects could be taken up in other temple towns across the State.
Interestingly, I.Y.R. Krishna Rao, Executive Officer, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, was said to have spoken to Mr. Soundara Rajan and discussed making Tirumala ‘plastic-free’.
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