Ayodhya gets special trash bins to keep monkeys away

Ayodhya, Jan 14 (IANS) One of the major problems in Ayodhya are the monkeys who hover around temples and trouble devotees by snatching away mobile phone, spectacles and 'prasad'. 

The bigger problem is that monkeys are considered followers of Lord Hanuman and hence, devotees resist any action against them.

The Ayodhya administration has now installed specially designed trash bins within the temple complex. These bins  have a retractable flap on the top through which trash would be thrown inside.

A locking system would be provided on the rear side of the bin to be opened by sanitation workers to empty it. Monkeys are known to throw out trash from the bin while searching for food.

“A lot of monkeys roam around on the Ram temple complex; hence, a locking system was necessary. The trash bin would be designed in the matchbox shape to make them easy to use as well as to clean.

Senior executives of Tata Consulting Engineers Limited have come up with the design along with senior engineers deputed by the trust,” said an official in the district administration.

The temple trust has outsourced the making of these special dustbins to a Mandawa-based agency, in Rajasthan, which makes the product out of pink sandstone. The outer layer of the bin would be covered with stones matching the overall facade of the temple.

The trust has asked the vendor to prepare 35 bins with a minimum capacity of at least 200 litre each, within a fortnight. Each bin would cost about Rs 60,000.

Meanwhile, only two towering cranes would remain deployed at the temple site on January 22, while the remaining two were pulled out earlier this week.

An 80-metre parkota on the front side of the temple would be ready to welcome dignitaries. A toilet block about 300 metres away from the temple would also come up, besides the one being developed within the pilgrim facility centre.

--IANS

amita/dpb