Lack of amenities like lighting, water supply and camping facilities coupled with insufficient deployment of police are some of the factors that contributed to the stampede that claimed 102 lives of Sabarimala pilgrims.
Lack of basic amenities like lighting, water supply and camping facilities coupled with insufficient deployment of police are some of the factors that have contributed for the stampade that claimed 102 lives of sabarimala pilgrimes at Pullumedu last nigh.
Flooding of large number of mini-vehicles like jeeps and autorikshaws without permission or control through the tekking route, part of the Periyar Tiger Reserves, also proved fatal, according to forest department sources.
Though Pullumedu route has been used by pilgrims from Tamil Nadu for long, that area had never been sufficiently covered by security and crowd management plans of Sabarimala pilgrimage.
On days of heavy rush, the entire focus of forces including police and NDRF tend to shift to Sannidhanam-Pampa route, through which over 90% of the pilgrims pass and down.
Accoring to sources, the forest authorities had brought these lapses to the notice of the higher authorities during the review meetings attended by senior police, government officials and even ministers.
It has frequently been brought to the notice of police, that the vehicles should not be allowed to enter the area which is reserve forest region.
Allowing vehicles to this part was illegal not only during the pilgrim season but also during any time of the year as it posed a threat to fragile eco system of the area, sources said.
"We have even suggested bringing regulation even for trekking by pilgrims along the seven-km path unless and until basi facilties are provide in the area", a forest official said.
Yesterday when the incident occurred, only a few members of forest protection councils and about 30 police personnel from the local police station were present to manage the unexpectedly high flow of pilgrims, sources said.
Meanwhile, expressing grief over the death of devotees, Andhra Pradesh BJP president G Kishan Reddy said the state government should announce additional ex-gratia to the next of kin of pilgrims who hailed from Andhra Pradesh.
He requested chief minister Kiran Reddy to depute a team of officials led by a minister to go to Kerala to make arrangement for bringing back bodies of the devotees who hailed from Andhra Pradesh.
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