The fireworks at the Puttingal temple in Paravur were conducted without the permission of the district administration.
The fireworks at the Puttingal temple in Paravur were conducted without the permission of the district administration.
Collector A. Shainamol had issued an order denying permission for the competitive fireworks during the festival considering safety aspects based on reports from various government agencies.
“The district administration had denied permission for the event to be conducted under the Explosives Act. All other allegations against administration are baseless,” Ms. Shainamol told this newspaper.
Sources said that following a denial of permission, a section of politicians’ had exerted pressure on the administration to allow fireworks. Fingers are also being pointed at former MP Peethambara Kurup and Chathanoor MLA G.S. Jayalal. The temple authorities had misled the administration by mentioning that only one party was conducting the fireworks.
However, the big question is despite specific orders from the collector, why did the police fail to check the blatant violation. Kollam city police commissioner P. Prakash said, “The temple committee told us orally that they had obtained permission from the administration for fireworks in a traditional manner. However, they didn’t show us a copy of the order. By then the crowds had started gathering and we could not have prevented the competitive fireworks at that stage,” he said.
Many find the district police chief’s explanation strange. As the district police chief it was his responsibility to enforce the collector’s order which had been issued quite early on. Why did he wait till the day of fireworks to execute the order Was he under pressure from temple authorities and politicians These are the questions which will be looked into during the probe.
However, the festival committee pamphlet clearly mentioned firework competition between Varkala Krishnankutty and Kazhakkoottam Surendran and even announced cash prizes in violation of the ban on competitive fireworks.
Puttingal temple devaswom managing committee secretary J. Krishnankutty Pillai had submitted request for permission on February 23. He had also conveyed in writing that one Ms Anarkali from Kadakkaavoor, had been entitled to conduct the fireworks.
However, the report submitted by district police chief on April 6 pointed out that apart from Ms Anarkali, the temple authorities had made an agreement with Umesh Kumar from Kazhakkoottam as well for the fireworks. But this was conceled in the request application to mislead the authorities. The police report recommended denial of permission to the event as being a competitive event, more than 12 kg of explosives were expected to be used.
The administration had also denied permission saying that the just barring one person there was no consent letter from people residing near the temple.
Meanwhile, 80-year-old Pankajakshi Anandan who resides near the temple, had requested for a ban on the fireworks piting out that her house was located within 25 metres. The building got damaged every year during fireworks.
The lady also pointed out that being a heart patient the fireworks pose a danger to her life as well. The local Tehsildar submitted a report on her compliant on April 6. Meanwhile, the complainant has also alleged that the temple authorities threatened her using goons as she had filed complaint against the fireworks.
