Makaravilakku: Security to be strengthened

SABARIMALA: Devaswom Minister V S Sivakumar said that security would be strengthened during the peak days of  Makaravilakku at Sannidhanam and adjoining areas. Addressing a review meeting regarding the preparations for the Makaravilakku at Pampa KWA conference hall on Thursday, the Minister said that basic facilities would be given to the pilgrims for Makarajyothi darsan from Uppupara, Pachakanam, Panchalimedu and Parunthumapara, taking into account the tragedy at Pulmedu during the last Makaravialakku season.Temporary facilities like barricades, drinking water, lighting and deployment of adequate number of police personnel would be made available for assisting the pilgrims, Sivakumar said.CM to review Sabarimala arrangementsSivakumar said that Chief Minister Oommen Chandy would convene a meeting in January immediately after the Makaravilakku to review the ongoing pilgrimage season and discuss the projects to be implemented during the 2012-2013 pilgrimage season.Nadapandal covering the entire trekking path from Pampa to Sannidhanam, completion of the two queue complexes with  all the related facilities and taking up two more queue complexes on the trekking path would be among the projects to come up in the Chief Minister’s meeting.The Minister said that the services of the Sabarimala Sanitation Society(SSS) would be available until January 23 to ensure a clean environment at Sabaraimala, trekking path and Pampa.For the smooth operation of the SSS, the Travancore Devaswom Board would give Rs 50 lakh and the balance amount would be sanctioned by the government, he said.KSRTC operationThe Minister also said that an aggregate number of 1,000 KSRTC buses would be deployed for the peak days of Makaravilakku at Pampa. Instructions have been given to the KSRTC authorities to not halt at Laha, taking into account the alleged supply of meat items and alcohol. Directives have also been issued to the Excise and Forest Departments to look into the complaints, he said. P J Kurian, MP, MLAs Raju Abraham and E S Bijumol, Additional Chief Secretary K Jayakumar, Travancore Devaswom Board president M Rajagopalan Nair, District Collector P Venugopal, TDB members K Sicily and K V Padmanabhan were among those spoke at the meeting.