Meet on Thrissur Pooram discusses safety aspects

A high-level meeting chaired by Forest and Wildlife Minister A.K. Saseendran on Friday emphasised the government's commitment to conducting the Thrissur Pooram festival without setbacks. The meeting, held at the collectorate, brought together key stakeholders to discuss arrangements and safety measures ahead of the Pooram.
Mr. Saseendran said steps would be taken to ensure a smooth and hassle-free experience for the public. Referring to recent incidents of mistreating elephants and the animals turning violent on temple premises, he stressed the need to create a safe and fear-free environment for the Pooram lovers. The Minister added that official directives would be issued only with the knowledge and approval of the District Collector, ensuring transparency and consensus.
He urged collaboration from all parties involved — including the Pooram organising committee and elephant owners — to maintain high safety standards. The Chief Wildlife Warden has been tasked with overseeing daily operations, with the Ernakulam Regional CCF required to submit daily reports on the progress.
Elephant parades
Revenue Minister K. Rajan, who joined the meeting online, called for a compassionate approach from the Forest department regarding elephant parades. He acknowledged the concern among elephant owners about changing rules and emphasised that sharing mahout details with the police would not be a cause for concern.
Forest Conservator Indu Vijayan presented detailed guidelines for managing elephant processions, and it was announced that the department's Rapid Response Team (RRT) would be active during the festival.
District Collector Arjun Pandian told the meeting that preparations were in full swing and designated the Additional District Magistrate as the point of contact for all festival-related needs. The Cochin Devaswom Board stated that all constituent Poorams have been instructed to adhere strictly to the festival schedule.
The Paramekkavu and Thiruvambady Devaswoms requested an extension of the elephant inspection timeline. The Minister directed the District Monitoring Committee to look into this and consider deploying additional squads if necessary.

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