THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The 50-day-long Santhigiri Fest would start from April 12. Union Minister Mahadeo Singh Khandela would inaugurate the event at 10.30 am at Santhigiri Ashram, Pothencode. Speaker G Karthiykeyan would preside over the function.Organisers of the event told a press conference that the fest would show the cooperation and understanding of public irrespective of caste and creed.
In connection with the fest, traders would assemble on the Ashram premises and announce their decision to ban the sale of intoxicants in shops at Pothencode and nearby places.
In order to encourage organic farming, the public would be supplied organic seeds and the Ashram would later buy the agriculture products produced.
The main attraction of the fest would be the exhibition organised in the Ashram.
Various international centres, stalls of various state and central departments, educational institutions and media would take part in this.
State Election Commissioner K Sasidharan would inaugurate ‘Santhwana Sparsam’, free counselling service for the public on April 12.
Minister for Culture K C Joseph would inaugurate the cultural festival on April 13.’Kalanjali’, the cultural platform where art forms from various states of the country would be staged would start with the music concert by Biju Narayanan.
A media conference would also be organised in connection with the fest. Cataract surgery camp and general Siddha clinical camp would be organised on the sidelines of the fest. Tourism Minister A P Anil Kumar, Transport Minister V S SivaKumar, Health Minister Adoor Prakash, Agriculture Minister K P Mohanan,A Sampath, Shashi Tharoor, Palode Ravi , Koliyakode Krishnan Nair and CPM district secretary Kadakampally Surendran would attend the fest.