KOCHI: Lakhs will converge on Aluva Manappuram on Saturday to pay obeisance to their ancestors at the over 150 ‘balitharas’ (ghats) set up along the banks of the Periyar. The rituals begin in the wee hours of Saturday. Devotees who reached Aluva by Friday night will stay up all night and witness the grand Sivarathri festival on the temple’s premises.
Aluva municipal chairperson Lissy Abraham said all arrangements were in place for the arriving devotees. “Bio-toilets have been set up. There will be separate bathing ghats for men and women,” she said.
The Haritha Keralam Mission (HKM) has also made arrangements to ensure that the week-long Sivarathri festivities are celebrated in adherence to the green protocol. HKM is doing this by coordinating with the district administration, Kerala Suchitwa Mission, Aluva municipality, Kochi Devaswom Board and other educational institutions. Single-use plastic items are banned on the temple premises, banks and the exhibition ground near the temple. The organic waste that is generated will be treated scientifically.
“Earlier, a team of officials from the municipality raided shops near the Aluva bridge and surrounding areas and seized banned plastic carry bags from some shops. Led by municipal secretary Toby Varghese, the team imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 and, in some cases, above on shops that violated the ban,” said an official with Aluva municipality. Lissy said environment-friendly carry bags will be available for purchase for `5 and above at the stall set up by students of Sreemoolanagaram Buds School. NSS volunteers from Edathala Al Amin College and Kalamassery Polytechnic will be present to help devotees.
‘Saranabalyam’
The Women and Children Welfare Committee will implement the ‘Saranabalyam’ plan at Aluva Manappuram. Saranabalyam is the programme to prevent child begging at Aluva.