Preparations for Attukal Pongala Completed at Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram : 8.40 crores is spent by the state government and the municipal corporation in connection with Pongala
Ministers V Sivankutty, Antony Raju and Thiruvananthapuram Corporation Mayor Arya Rajendran announced in a press conference that the preparations for the Atukal Pongal to be held on March 7 have been completed.
Minister Sivankutty requested that food safety, use of loudspeakers and road traffic should be legal in various sub-festivals associated with Pongal. Ensure that unhygienic food and thirst quenchers are not distributed during hot weather. Harassment of people by obstructing traffic is also not allowed.
Thiruvananthapuram sub-collector Ashwathi Srinivasan is the special officer in charge of Ponkala, which is conducted following green protocol. Estimates of urgent construction works/cleaning measures to be carried out in connection with Pongala should be submitted by the respective Heads of Departments through the District Collector. An administrative sanction of Rs 2.50 crore has been obtained from the Local Self-Government Department with the approval of the Finance Department for further action.
Mayor Arya Rajendran informed that the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation is spending an additional 5.2 crore rupees in addition to the amount allocated by the Local Self-Government Department. Online registration with Food Security Department is mandatory for delivery of food. The squad is actively engaged in green protocol checks. Active functioning of Municipal Health Squad has also been ensured.
There will be special medical camps of the health department. 10 ambulances of Health Service, two ambulances of one hundred and eight (108), three ambulances of Municipal Corporation and 10 ambulances of Private Hospital Association have been arranged. Six medical camps will also be part of this. There will be measures to strictly prevent the use and sale of intoxicating substances in the festival sector. There will be special patrolling and related inspections by the Excise Department. Apart from 2000 male policemen, 750 female policemen will be deployed to ensure security and control traffic.
Transformer, lights and sodium vapor lamps have been replaced by LEDs in the festival area. KSEB is in the final stages of installation of bulbs. Transport Minister Antony Raju said that KSRTC has decided to run additional services, start control rooms and find parking facilities for buses. Supplyco's Mobile Maveli Store will be open on 5th, 6th and 7th of March on the occasion of Pongala. Active operation of Supply Office and Legal Metrology Squads has been ensured for lightning inspection of ration shops in Utsava region.
Six fire brigade control rooms will be functional. Thiruvananthapuram District Collector Jeromick George, City Police Commissioner Nagaraju C, Sub Collector Aswathi Srinivas, Councilor R Unnikrishnan and others participated in the press conference.
