Vishwa Hindu Parishad state president Venkateswara Rao raised serious hygiene concerns at the Annavaram Devasthanam prasadam counter in Kakinada district on Saturday. He said rats were seen moving near the prasadam area, which could affect both temple sanctity and devotee health. Therefore, he visited the counter on the Annavaram highway and reviewed the situation on the spot along with other VHP leaders.
VHP team inspects the counter and questions the staff
During the visit, Venkateswara Rao was joined by VHP vice president Akondi Surya and secretary Manikumar. First, the leaders closely inspected the premises. Then, they questioned the staff working at the counter about the ongoing problem. Rao said the issue had continued for nearly a year. However, officials failed to take timely action despite repeated concerns.
Moreover, he expressed strong displeasure over the lack of supervision. According to him, such neglect at a sacred place sends a wrong message to devotees. He added that cleanliness should remain a top priority at temple-related facilities.
Leaders question neglect despite high revenue
Meanwhile, the VHP leaders pointed out that the prasadam counter earns nearly ₹50 lakh in revenue. Even so, they questioned why basic hygiene was ignored. Rao said devotees visit Annavaram with faith and trust. Hence, the administration must ensure a clean and safe environment at all times.
In addition, he said prasadam purity holds deep religious value. Any lapse, he warned, could weaken the confidence of pilgrims coming from different regions.
Memorandum submitted to the Temple EO
After the inspection, the VHP delegation submitted a memorandum to the temple Executive Officer. They demanded strict action against the staff responsible for negligence. At the same time, they urged officials to take immediate steps to prevent such issues in the future.
Finally, the leaders stressed that protecting devotee health must remain a priority. They said proper monitoring and regular checks would help maintain temple dignity. The issue has now drawn wider attention to hygiene standards at prasadam distribution centres.
