CM calls for keeping Pongala sites clean

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who chaired a meeting to review the arrangements for the Attukal pongala, has directed officials to ensure proper cleanliness in spots where devotees make the offerings.In the meeting held at the Attukal temple auditorium on Tuesday, the chief minister also instructed the officials to set up mobile toilet facilities for devotees.
Devaswom minister Kadakampally Surendran also emphasised the need to ensure clean surroundings during the festival to be held on February 20. Mayor V K Prasanth said sanitation workers have been deployed in all wards.
Meanwhile, city police have sought the service of Tamil Nadu police to watch out for habitual offenders who involve in chain snatching. A team of 15 policemen, including women from Tamil Nadu police, will be deployed in and around the temple to carry out a checking drive as part of the security drive.
“There are several women from Tamil Nadu, who visit the city during the annual temple festival season. They would visit festival venues and commit petty crimes capitalising on the crowd at the venues. Since they are habitual offenders, it would be easy for Tamil Nadu policemen to spot them,” said city police commissioner S Surendran.
The members of the city shadow police squad will also be deployed on the temple premises, he said. On Tuesday, a special control room of the police started functioning near Attukal temple. A two-wheeler patrolling squad, Cobra Patrol, was flagged off by ADGP Manoj Abraham. The patrol team comprises both men and women squads, who would patrol all the roads and by-lanes surrounding the temple to check miscreant activities.
The Kerala Water Authority (KWA) has also been putting in place elaborate arrangements for the festival. More than 1,000 public taps and 50 showers will be set up in various places in the city. Tanker lorries will be arranged and a special team that works 24 hours has also been constituted.
The KWA has completed immediate maintenance works in four zones: Attukal, Fort, Chalai and Sreevaraham. The KWA is planning to complete around 22 projects worth Rs 69.67 lakh by February 18, two days ahead of the pongala.