THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Corporation is implementing the green protocol with public support for the Attukal pongala which will be held on March 2. Mayor V K Prasanth requested devotees to bring their own steel tumblers for distributing water and steel plates for food.
As there is a huge demand for steel plates and tumblers, the civic body is seeking sponsorship from the public and organisations. According to Prasanth, the city branches of some banks will double up as collection centres for steel plates and tumblers. Banks will provide water kiosks and sponsor steel cups.
He urged the public to donate steel tumblers and plates to the Corporation to ensure the success of the green protocol.
The collection drive will be on from February 10 to 28. NSS volunteers will collect it from schools and colleges. Those interested in sponsorships may contact the project secretariat of the Corporation or call 9496434434, 9496434461, 9496434492.
The Corporation is deploying a large number of green volunteers - about 1,000 - to monitor the implementation of the green protocol. A green army formed at schools will be given metal badges and T-shirts. About 30 schools in the city which have green army units will keep a metal board of the unit. Sanitation workers will be given overcoats with reflectors. The Corporation plans to use sponsorship for all these.
An extensive awareness campaign is being planned before the implementation of the green protocol. The Suchitwa Mission will use its funds for advertisements, including jingles at railway stations, messages through FM radio, scrolls on TV, and stickers on transport vehicles. There will be permanent boards in the city explaining the green protocol.
The Corporation will set up a stall at Putharikandom ground for eco-friendly products that can be an alternative to plastic products. There will be graffiti on city walls with a green message. The temple will carry protocol messages in its notices.
Temporary stalls set up during the Attukal festival around the temple will have to follow the protocol. Shop owners have to take back the plastic waste generated at the stall. A lot of organisations and individuals have expressed interest in providing food and water to devotees attending the pongala, but they will have to register with the Food Safety Department and adhere to the protocol.
Five voluntary organisations or individuals who follow the protocol while distributing drinking water and food for devotees will get an award from a sponsor. The organisations should apply at the Corporation project secretariat in advance, to be considered for the award.
“Last year there were 83 tonnes of waste generated after pongala. This time we want to reduce it to 50 tonnes,” said the Mayor. He urged devotees not to place pongala hearths on tiled roads (43 km in the city).
All roads to Attukal temple to be repaired by February 20
T’Puram: Ahead of the Attukal pongala on March 2, all roads leading to the Attukal Bhagavathy temple will be made motorable before February 20, Works Minister G Sudhakaran has said. The minister was chairing a meeting here on Wednesday to assess the progress of PWD works. Senior PWD engineers and office bearers of the temple participated in the meeting. As many as 22 projects with an outlay of D5.4 crore are being implemented by the Works Department in Thiruvananthapuram and Nemom Assembly constituencies as part of the festival.
Over the last two years, works to the tune of D6.37 crore has been sanctioned for repair of roads in the two constituencies, the minister said. He said the PWD’s preparations for the Attukal Pongala should be carried out using funds allocated for maintenance work, and the practice of demanding special funds should end. The minister directed PWD officers to prepare a detailed project report to convert roads, within a radius of 5km from the temple, as per BM&BC standards. Temple trust chairman Raveendran Nair, Trust secretary Sisupalan Nair, PWD chief engineer (Roads and Bridges) Jeevaraj MN participated in the meeting.