Shukreswar temple feels spillover effect

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, June 24: The temples in and around Guwahati have been feeling the spillover effect of the ongoing Ambubanchi mela that has proved that the sanitation facilities which they have are far short of matching the flow of visitors.

After Kamakhya temple, one of the famous temples in the city is Shukreswar temple, famous for the huge 'Shivlingam'. Many people are vising the temple these days. However, the security system available at the temple is not adequate. The entrance of the temple is full of garbage over which baggers and others use to sit. The situation inside the complex is no different. Though the surrounding area of the temple is declared a no-plastic zone, the scerio there is in stark contrast. The surroundings is full of dirt with plastic waste.

The sanitary system in the temple is also not up to mark for which the visitors have to face problems. A visitor said: "We came here in the morning to visit the temple and take a holy dip the Brahmaputra. However, there is none to show us the riverside and washrooms to get fresh. The parghat of the river is also in a pathetic condition. The ageing steps are broken, and as such dangerous for visitors."

Another visitor said: "Though there is a toilet near the priests' room, it is used by both males and females. We have to face awkward condition sometimes. A banner is hung in front of the toilet saying that it is a pay-and-use toilet but there's none to look after the toilet and clean it."

The water supply system of the temple is also erratic. Often the pilgrims and others have to drink water of the river without filtering.

A priest of the temple said: "For water we depend on the government supply, which is often irregular."