P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju, founder family member of Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Devasthanam, Simhachalam and group temples, has written to the Executive Officer seeking a detailed report on the ‘post-mortem’ enquiry done on the reasons leading to the collapse of the Dwajasthambam of Sri Sitharama Swamy temple.
In a letter to the EO on Thursday, the Mr. Ashok Gajapathi Raju, who is also the hereditary trustee of Simhachalam temple, said that he had gathered from news articles that deterioration of the wood was the cause of the collapse. This implies that there was no quality check mechanism defined and followed periodically to check the strength of the wood to avoid such incidents, he said.
He hoped that at least learning from this unfortunate incident, a standard quality check procedure would be defined to catch early warnings through periodical checks to take remedial actions.
He also sought a list of all other structures that might have a possibility of similar risks (wood deteriorating) and the plan of action that would be put in place to prevent recurrence of such incidents anywhere else in Simhachalam Devasthanam. He hoped that the reply would be given to him by August 17.
