Rs 9.5 cr approved for Saraswati Tirtha in Pehowa

Nitish Sharma

Kurukshetra, April 10

A budget of Rs 9.50 crore will be spent on the development and beautification of Saraswati Tirtha in Pehowa.

Currently, the management of the Tirtha is with the municipal committee of Pehowa. However, the management is expected to be handed back to the Kurukshetra Development Board (KDB).

Earlier, a budget of Rs 2.5 crore was to be spent on the beautification and development, but it has now been increased to Rs 9.50 crore. Recently, CM Manohar Lal Khattar, during a rally in Pehowa, had announced that the work would be executed by the Kurukshetra Development Board.

Pehowa is considered a place of great religious importance and lakhs of people reach Pehowa every year from various parts of the country to perform post-death rituals for their family members and offer prayers to their ancestors.

Ashok Singla, former chairman of the Pehowa Municipal Committee, said: “Earlier the management of the tirtha was with the KDB, but a few years ago it was handed over to the municipal committee. Shortage of funds has been a major obstacle in the development of the tirtha here. Whatever the grants the committee received were spent on the development of ghats, management of sarovar, sanitation and construction of boundary wall, besides other works. After the CM’s announcement, we have high hopes that the tirtha will see some good development. Public participation is also needed in the development of such sites.”

As per the information, the budget will be spent on the lighting of Saraswati Dwar, construction of a boundary wall and Sadariyans (on the pattern of Brahma Sarovar), landscaping, red sandstone on ghats, facade work, toilet blocks, and lighting of the tirtha. Besides, the entries of the Tirtha will be gated.

Madan Mohan Chhabra, honorary secretary of the KDB, said: “Since 2013, the Saraswati Tirtha is being managed by the Pehowa Municipal Committee. The Kurukshetra development board has ample funds for the development of religious sites and the board has decided to pay special attention to the development of Saraswati Tirtha as lakhs of people reach there for religious purposes. Chief Minister announced that Rs 9.50 crore will be spent on the beautification and development of Saraswati Tirtha and the work will be executed by the KDB. If we get the management of the Tirtha then we will develop and manage it on the pattern of Brahma Sarovar in Kurukshetra.”