COVID prevention measures for jallikattu event announced

MADURAI: In view of the jallikattu events to be held in Avaniyapuram, Palamedu, and Alanganallur areas in Madurai, the district administration has announced vaccination certificates as mandatory for participants and spectators alongside several other COVID prevention measures as ordered by the state government.Considered the largest jallikattu event, the Avaniyapuram jallikattu will be hosted on January 15, followed by Palamedu and Alanganallur jallikattu on January 16 and 17 respectively.

Participants have been requested to upload their passport-size photographs, age certificate, and certificates of two COVID-19 vaccines received, on madurai.nic.in. On verification of the credentials, the participants will be provided with a token, which can be downloaded from the website. Only participants with the token will be allowed to participate in the event. All participants have also been told to take the RT-PCR test within two days before the date of the event. Submission of the above-mentioned documents is mandatory. Only two persons will be allowed to accompany a bull during the jallikattu event, both of whom should submit vaccination certificates and an RT-PCR Test taken two days before the event. Spectators of the jallikattu events should also submit vaccination certificates.

The district administration has also announced that a maximum of 150 spectators or 50% of the permitted seating capacity will be allowed as spectators to the jallikattu events, adding that the capacity that is lesser will be considered in compliance with social distancing rules at the open venue. Residents who do not belong to the locality have been advised to watch the jallikattu events on TV or via the internet.

To conduct jallikattu events, prior permission from the government should be obtained and all COVID restrictions should be strictly followed while complying with the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Jallikattu Codes) Rules, 2017 and other guidelines for conducting jallikattu issued by the government.