MADURAI: For the second day, entry through the east entrance of the Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple has been closed as the efforts to contain the plumes of smoke and heat in Veera Vasantharayar Mandap continued on Sunday.
Workers from the Madurai Corporation were engaged in cleaning the debris from the Mandap where 36 shops were gutted in a fire that broke out late on Friday night. Fire and Rescue Services personnel continued pouring water over the heated stones and debris.
Devotees could enter the temple through all the entrances except the east entrance. However, they were not allowed into the area where the accident had occurred and to the Thousand Pillar Hall. Shop owners inside the east entrance downed their shutters for the second day.
After visiting the area of the fire accident, Madurai Central Constituency MLA, PTRO Thiagarajan, said that he would also prepare an independent report and publish it.
It did not mean that he did not have faith in the report to be prepared by the two teams constituted by the district, he clarified, and added that he would do so since he had sound knowledge in the field, he added.
“The government may or may not support the inspection and preparing the report. I will try and get the details even using the Right To Information Act and publish it,” he said.
The government should learn a lesson from this accident and improve safety, Thiagarajan said.
“The cities in the state house more than 50 per cent of the total population but in the event of major accidents, there are no immediate measures available. In foreign countries there are fire hydrants available to handle a fire accident. The state government has to come up with some proposal,” he said.
The state vice president of PMK, M Thilagabama said that the government should consider evicting shops from temple premises across the state.
Addressing mediapersons in Madurai Airport, Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam said that with the help of archeologists Meenakshi Amman Temple will get back its old shine. He added that the shops located inside the temple would be evicted.
MLA also to make report
After visiting the area of the fire mishap, Madurai Central MLA, Thiagarajan, said that he would also prepare an independent report and publish it. It did not mean that he did not have faith in the report to be prepared by the two teams constituted by the district administration, he clarified, and added that he would do so since he had sound knowledge in the field, he added.