TTD TOLD TO FIND PERMANENT SOLUTION, MONITOR PRICES OF FOOD AT TIRUMALA

The Hyderabad High Court on Tuesday told the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams to work out a permanent mechanism to continuously monitor the rates of food items sold by hoteliers in Tirumala and place a report before it within two weeks.

A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice G. Ganga Rao, while dealing with a PIL by Parihaara Sewa Samiti seeking to declare as illegal the failure of the TTD to take action against hoteliers who sell foodstuff and beverages on exorbitant prices.

The bench told the TTD to provide a tollfree number for devotees to lodge complaints against such hoteliers and publicise it widely.

The bench suggested setting up of a permanent machinery to take action against errant hoteliers and stall owners.

Sivaraju Srinivas, counsel for the TTD, while submitting an action taken report, informed the court that higher officials of the TTD had held a meeting on November 9 to formulate a policy on fixing of prices of food items and also tender conditions.

He submitted that there are nine major canteens in Tirumala, of which one was leased out in 2015 for three years without any conditions with regard to selling prices of food items being placed.

He told the court that they have initiated action against two assistant vigilance and security officers, tahsildar and two junior assistants for failing to act against the errant stall owners.