Title - Velankanni gears up for festival

Use of plastics has been banned from Velankanni as a prelude to the arrangements for the Velankanni festival in the district. Presiding over the consultative meeting on the arrangements needed for the 10-day festival that is set to receive lakhs of pilgrims , Collector T.Munusamy has called for coordinated effort among the line departments.Mr.Munusamy has urged the departments to ensure additional amenities for pilgrims this year.The proposal envisages 50 water tanks of 1,000 litre capacity each in all prime locations.Also, purified drinking water facilities will be set up at the Velankanni beach, Velankanni arch, and railway stations at Velankanni, Nagore and Nagapattinam.Check-posts would be set up to test water quality supplied by water tankers prior to their entry into Velankanni. Water quality testing would be carried out jointly by the department of health and Velankanni town panchayat.Importance has been accorded to sanitation with the administration set to station sanitation workers round-the-clock to collect garbage. The garbage would be transported to the garbage collection centre which is two km away from Velankanni. Sanitation workers would be roped in from the adjoining town panchayats and Nagapattinam municipality along with the assistance of NGOs and voluntary organisations till the conclusion of the festival.

Works are on to set up temporary toilets with uninterrupted water supply in and around Velankanni. Other civil amenities, including adequate streetlights, temporary parking lots, and temporary lighting along the beach and other water bodies would be arranged.

On the health front, the Collector has directed setting up of 24-hour medical posts consisting of 50 doctors and 50 nurses in prime locations, including Velankanni arch and railway station, Puthur junction, Nagapattinam bus stand and railway station. Also, month-long inspections would be carried out in all eateries in Nagapattinam and Velankanni, Mr.Munusamy has said.

Police administration has been directed to provide arrangements for parking in coordination with the regional transport office and transport corporations. In addition, transport corporations of Madurai, Villupuram and Kumbakonam have proposed to run 650 special buses to meet pilgrim traffic.

Police have been asked to regulate autos plying into Velankanni during the festival season.

Mr.Munusamy has assured uninterrupted power supply during the course of the festival and the TANGEDCO has been directed to mend fragile and unsecure lines prior to the festival.

Six fire service vehicles, 175 personnel, and two ambulance services would be stationed in the area. Further, rescue teams would be set up along the beach.

According to the administration, over 1,100 police personnel would be stationed along with 500 home guard personnel for security and surveillance. Surveillance cameras would be put up in 50 locations.

Asiya Mariam, District Revenue Officer, and V.Manikandan, Revenue Divisional Officer, were present.