Mangalore : AB Ibrahim Deputy Commissioner on Tuesday directed temples, especially those coming under the Muzarai Department, to make their own arrangements for securing articles, and donations received by devotees.

Addressing at a press meet arranged at the DC office on Tuesday, June 10, A.B. Ibrahim has given them one month to report about measures – every temple to implement CCTV cameras and alarms in addition to appointing security guards.

Mr. Ibrahim said. “Every Temples to spend on these out of the income the temple is getting,” These measures were necessary in light of reports of thefts at some of the temples in the district.

There are 21 temples in the district in the A-grade category (temples with annual income of more than Rs. 25 lakh), followed by 37 temples in B grade (annual income between Rs. 5 lakh and Rs. 25 lakh) and 433 temples in C grade (with income less than Rs. 5 lakh). The meeting was called following a direction of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department to the DC to report the security measures at these temples.

“Kukke Subrahmanya temple has generated highest revenue in the state. Kateel and Kudupu temples have earned highest income in the district.

During the meeting, Muralidhara Gowda from a B-grade category temple said it was difficult for them to meet the expenses of hiring a security guard. The government should help the temples belonging to B grade with grants to meet the security expenses, he said.

A representative of Rajarajeshwari Temple in Polali raised the issue of problems faced in cataloguing articles of the temple as required by the Department. Mr. Ibrahim asked Endowment Tahsildar A.R. Prabhakar to prepare a list of valuers in the district, whose services can be used for the purpose.