THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has approached the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) seeking its intervention to ensure the safety of the Sree Parasurama Swamy temple at Thiruvallam here.
Express had earlier reported the 13th century temple, an ASI protected monument, was facing serious risks as nearly half a dozen LPG cylinders were stored inside the temple complex, posing a threat to the safety of the devotees and the monument’s structural integrity.
Following the Express report, a team from the Fire and Rescue Services Department (FRSD) inspected the temple and asked officers of the Travancore Devaswom Board, which manages the temple, to switch to a reticulated gas system.
“The temple management is reluctant to obey the direction of the ASI and the FRSD. Now, SDMA will convene a meeting with all stakeholders to find a solution,” said a senior officer in ASI’s Thrissur Circle office.
The meeting will be chaired by the District Collector and attended by Travancore Devaswom Board and FRSD officers.
Unsafe practice
Three commercial gas cylinders, each weighing 19 kg, are connected to the pipeline that fuels the stoves inside the ‘thidapally’, the temple kitchen. A fourth LPG cylinder used for a stove kept outside the thidapally as well as standby cylinders are kept nearby.
All the cylinders are exposed to the sun near the temple kitchen, hardly a few metres away from the sanctums of Lord Parasurama and Lord Brahma.