Kollam: The fireworks at the Puttingal temple in Paravoor 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.
Cops don’t implement district admin’s order
The fireworks at the Puttingal temple in Paravoor were conducted without the permission of the district administration. 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 in big numbers 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.
Politicians insisted on elaborate fireworks
Sources said that following a denial of permission by the district administration, 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.
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 in the area in big numbers and we could not have prevented the competitive fireworks at that stage," he said.
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.
