CHENNAI: Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments (HR & CE) minister P K Sekarbabu on Wednesday said devotees will not be permitted to climb Annamalaiyar hills in Tiruvannamalai on the day of Maha Deepam festival on Dec 13. The move comes after the recent landslide in Annamalaiyar hills and death of seven people.
Addressing reporters in Chennai, Sekarbabu said, "Around 350 kg of material and 600 kg of ghee to light the Deepam will be taken atop the hills. Only manpower required to take raw material and ghee, along with police and forest department officials, will be permitted and not devotees."
Following the recent landslide in Tiruvannamalai due to heavy rain brought by Cyclone Fengal, a team of eight geological experts led by K Premalatha carried out various tests on the hills from Nov 7 to 9 to ascertain the strength of the soil and rocks.
The HR & CE minister said the committee recommended conducting the Deepam festival with minimum manpower and not to permit devotees like in previous years.
Sekarbabu said chief minister M K Stalin directed them to ensure the lighting of Deepam should not be stopped on the day of the festival on Dec 13.