CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government has amended the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for conducting jallikattu by relaxing the mandatory insurance requirement for bull tamers, following demands from the event organisers. The government has also announced a few other relaxations in the SOPs for jallikattu and erudhu vidum vizha.
According to a government order dated January 23, issued by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences following an announcement made by Chief Minister MK Stalin two weeks ago, bull tamers participate in the event voluntarily, and organisers are no longer required to provide insurance for them.
The revenue department will also not insist on affidavits for providing bank guarantees. Additionally, online registration for bulls and tamers will no longer be mandatory for local participants, the G.O. stated.
Earlier, organisers were required to provide an insurance coverage of Rs 5 lakh per person against death or permanent disability for bull tamers and spectators. Coverage had to be arranged for at least 20 persons, capped at Rs 1 crore per event. If insurance could not be obtained due to high premium cost, organisers were required to submit a bank guarantee of Rs 20 lakh along with an affidavit on stamp paper, providing coverage of Rs 5 lakh per person for a minimum of four persons.
However, a section of bull tamers had opposed this mandatory insurance provision, stating that the events are conducted voluntarily without any commercial benefit, and that arranging such large sums significantly increases expenses. Organisers also faced difficulties as insurance companies were reluctant to provide coverage to bull tamers, who are classified as high-risk participants.
The approval for jallikattu, eruthu vidum vizha, and manju virattu events is granted through the http://jallikattu.tn.gov.in/ portal and is permitted to be conducted between January 1 and May 31.