Move to illuminate Baldevjew temple comes a cropper

A year after the high-power lighting system was installed as part of beautification programme, darkness pervades the medieval age temple. The lighting system has gone out of order from top to bottom.

Lack of maintenance coupled with substandard quality of gadgets and tools has led to breakdown of the project.

"The system had been put in place last year. It hardly effectively functioned for few months. Then it began blinking. Now the whole lighting system has turned dysfunctional. The servitors and devotees who thronged in large numbers after the daybreak are being greatly inconvenienced as the newly installed lights have turned idle," said Girish Chandra Kar, secretary, Tulashi Khetra Unnayana Parishad.

As part of Centre-funded heritage development grants, Rs 40 lakh were sanctioned to the Kendrapara municipality for infrastructure development of the temple. While the civic body spent Rs 10 lakh for improving the lighting system within the temple premises, equal amount was spent for building a public park near the temple complex. About Rs 20 lakh more spent for drainage system and frontal portion of the