The long-running dispute over electricity bills at Vijayawada's revered Kanaka Durga temple has finally been settled. The resolution came after direct intervention by two senior state ministers, averting a potential disruption to power supply and temple functions that had worried devotees.
Ministerial Intervention Breaks Deadlock
The crisis reached a decisive point during a high-level review meeting held at the state secretariat. The meeting was jointly chaired by Energy Minister Gottipati Ravikumar and Endowments Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy. Both ministers emphasized the need to protect the sanctity of the temple while ensuring seamless coordination between their departments.
They conducted a thorough review of the issues, which included the threatened suspension of power supply to the temple and complications regarding the integration of electricity from the temple's own 1-megawatt solar power plant with the main grid. Stressing the importance of respecting devotees' sentiments, the ministers issued clear directives to officials to prevent such disruptions from happening again.
Technical Solution and Financial Compromise
A key technical solution was agreed upon to ensure transparency. Officials from the power department committed to installing two net meters, each with a 500-kilowatt capacity, for the temple's solar plant. This installation will allow for accurate tracking and accounting of both the power generated by the solar plant and the power consumed from the grid, creating a sustainable and clear energy management system for the temple.
In a reciprocal move, officials from the endowments department agreed to clear the temple's pending electricity dues. To avoid straining the temple's finances, it was mutually decided that the outstanding bill amount would be settled in manageable instalments. This approach ensures that the temple's daily operations and religious activities remain unaffected.
A Consensus for Future Cooperation
The meeting concluded with a strong consensus on the need for improved inter-departmental coordination. Senior officials from both the power and endowments departments acknowledged that better communication was essential to avoid similar conflicts. The ministers underscored that such cooperation served the larger public interest and instructed all officials to always prioritize the faith of devotees in their administrative decisions.
The high-level meeting was attended by several key officials, including ACCPDSL CMD P Pullareddy, Endowments Department Commissioner Ramachandra Mohan, Temple Executive Officer Seena Nayak, and other senior figures from both departments.
