The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Temple jewels: TTD to take Reserve Bank’s help

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Nov 05, 2009
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Temple jewels: TTD to take Reserve Bank’s help

Special Correspondent

TIRUMALA: The Tirumala-Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) would be approaching the Governor of Reserve Bank of India to provide necessary guidance in appraising the quality, carattage, weight and other profiles of gold and diamond-studded ornaments in its possession.

TTD Executive Officer I.Y.R. Krishna Rao told The Hindu that he would be soon calling the RBI Governor to discuss the possibility of securing the services of professional jewellery appraisers.

As such, the TTD has to submit to the High Court, within a month, a detailed inventory together with the commercial as well as antique value of the ornaments with it.

It may be recalled that the High Court which is hearing a PIL in this connection has on Monday, granted one month time to the TTD to submit a detailed profile of the ornaments, diamonds, gems and such other precious stones in its possession.

The court also had reportedly expressed its reservations over the non-availability of qualified and full-time appraisers in the TTD.

Mr. Krishna Rao said the TTD also proposed to take the services of the Institute of Gemmologists. “We will also outsource the services of professional gemologists and jewellery appraisers not only to meet the present legal exigency but also to ensure a constant appraisal of the valuables that keep pouring into the Tirumala temple hundi as offerings from the devotees”.

The Executive Officer said, the TTD would submit within one month a detailed list of the ‘protocol VIPs’ as per the TTD records, eligible for entry into the temple through the ‘Mahadwaram’—the main entrance.

Violation of norm

The court raised a query on the issue following a petition alleging inter alia that even those who are not eligible for the privilege of ‘Mahadwaram’ entry were being extended the same in complete violation of the ‘protocol’.

The Bench had reportedly taken exception to the government trying to interfere with the ‘protocol list’ when it should actually is the prerogative of the TTD.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh