MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court has permitted installation and operation of amusement rides and other entertainment events on the Vaigai river bed at several places in Ramanathapuram and Sivagangai districts in view of the chithirai festival.
A bench of justices G R Swaminathan and B Pugalendhi passed the orders on a batch of petitions seeking the above relief.
In a similar petition last year, the court had directed the organisers to conduct the events at alternate places. But petitioners claimed it would only be feasible if the events are conducted on the river bed, in the vicinity of the temple.
The authorities objected on the ground that 1,500 cusecs of water would be released from Vaigai dam and would likely reach Paramakudi in Ramanathapuram on May 14.
Similar objections were raised with respect to Manamadurai in Sivagangai. Since the petitioners claimed that such events were traditionally permitted and water would not reach the spot where the events have been planned as they are in the upper reaches of the river, the judges granted permission.
However, they added authorities should stop the events forthwith if the water reaches the event spots.
The bench also warned that in case of any untoward incident, only the organizers would be held responsible and not the state.
‘Use conventional pipes to spray water on Kallalagar’s idol’
The HR&CE department has appealed to devotees to use only traditional goat skin bags and conventional pipes to spray water on Kallalagar’s idol during his procession to Madurai.
In a statement, the authorities appealed to devotees not to use pressure pumps or modified pipes to spray water on the idol.
Sources said four vahanams of Kallalagar are being readied in view of the procession.