Thrissur: Representatives of Thiruvambadi and Paramekkavu devaswoms will attend the high-level meeting in the state capital on Tuesday to discuss restrictions on fireworks and elephant parade. Tourism minister A. C. Moideen, education minister C. Raveendranath and agriculture minister V. S. Sunil Kumar will attend the meeting, besides Thrissur collector A. Kowsigan, city police commissioner J. Himendranath and assistant conservator of forest (social forestry) A. Jayamadhavan.
The two want government support to conduct the Thrissur Pooram next year true to its tradition as the district administration had cancelled licences of their fireworks contractors for using banned chemicals like potassium chlorate early this year. Besides that Thiruvambadi and Paramekkavu devaswoms had raised apprehensions over the circular of the deputy chief controller of explosives in Kochi banning high decibel dynamites and ‘Kuzhiminals’ during fireworks.
The assistant conservator of forests (social forestry) also tightened the existing rules of parading elephants by which the number of elephants used in church feats in Kunnamkulam was brought down by half and stopped parading them between 11 am and 3.30 pm. Meanwhile, organisers of Uthralikavu Pooram known for its grand fireworks in a statement on Monday said they would cancel fireworks at the next festival if the government continued to enforce strict norms.
