SRISAILAM: Preparation for Krishna Pushkaralu is going on at a very slow pace at Srisailam, Sangameswaram and connecting parts of Rayalaseema, with many projects incomplete even after the Chief Minister’s review last week. Rocks are continuing to break away and debris is falling close to the Patalaganga route at Srisailam. The temple authorities' decision to drill the hill has evoked criticism even from the higher authorities as debris may then continue to fall till the end of the rainy season while the Pushkaralu will begin in the second week of August.
The Geological Survey authorities and other departments have sought measures to be taken in the ghat section.

Kurnool SP Ake Ravikrishna had alerted the Srisailam temple authorities of the repercussions of drilling on the hill and there is a proposal to lay fencing to cover the hill area to prevent the debris falling on people during the peak days of the Pushkaralu. Srisailam, like Vijayawada and other parts of Krishna district, is expecting a large numbers of devotees from Rayalaseema, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra too, who follow tradition in preferring to visit Srisailam to take a holy dip and have a darshan of Lord Mallikarjuna Swamy and Goddess Bramarambhika.

Endowment minister Manikyala Rao directed commissioner Y.V. Anuradha to blacklist the contractor for his poor performance. Mr Ravikrishna said devotees must carry some dentification, such as the Aadhaar card, with them when visiting Srisailam. Five parking spots have been demarcated at Srisailam and three at Sangameswaram. Police officers, belonging to WhatsApp groups, would clear traffic snarls, he said. More than 1,500 CCTV cameras will be used for security.

Kurnool OSD Ravi Prakash will head security arrangements, as hordes of devotees and many VIPs expected to arrive. Combing operations were intensified in the Nallamala forest. Deputy CM K.E. Krishna Murthy has fixed a deadline of August 5 for all civil work to be completed. “We are also setting up water proof pandals at food serving centres at all important locations of the Pushkaralu,” he said.

Krishna Pushkaralu will open at non-controversial Sangameswaram. Sangameswaram has been proposed as the place for the initial celebrations of Krishna Pushkaralu in the wake of the controversy over mixing Godavari water with Krishna’s at Vijayawada. CM N. Chandrababu Naidu has been asked to formally launch the Pushkaralu at Sangameswaram as the location is unlikely to be the scene of stampedes, such as the tragedy that occurred during the Godavari Pushkaralu, sources said.