A meeting convened by the District Collector here on Monday chalked out plans for safe conduct of Thrissur Pooram in the wake of the second wave of COVID-19.
The Collector issued directions to various departments, including the Police and the Health departments, for conducting the Pooram without risk of spread of the disease.
The Pooram will be held under strong police security. The Health Department will set up aid posts at various locations with the support of the police. Service of health workers, including doctors, will be ensured in these aid posts.
To ensure social distancing during the celebrations, the main venue will be divided into six sectors under sectoral magistrates. Deputy Collectors will be given charge of the sectoral magistrates.
Civil defence volunteers
Seven units of fire and rescue forces will be deployed in the venue. In addition to the ambulances of the Health Department, 17 ambulances of the accident care and transport service (ACTS) and 10 of the co-operative department will be available.
In all, 300 civil defence volunteers will be deployed to support the police in distributing sanitizers and masks and to ensure maintenance of COVID protocols. Special COVID magistrates will be deployed to issue guidelines to the people to avoid the spread of the disease.
A special squad has also been formed for the maintenance of elephants. Fitness of elephants should be checked at their respective districts before bringing them to the Pooram venue.
Notice to buildings
The Thrissur Corporation has given notice to 133 buildings in dangerous condition in the Swaraj Round. People are banned from entering these buildings to watch the Pooram. Petrol pumps at the Swaraj Round should not work during the festival days.
Around 100-odd thermal scanners will be provided to the Health Department and the Corporation to check the temperature of people who take part in the Pooram. Devaswoms have be advised to keep sufficient numbers of gloves, sanitizers and masks.