No Shortage for 'Aravana': CM tells Sabarimala pilgrims

Pathanamthitta, Nov 15 (UNI) Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan today said pilgrims need not entertain any anxiety over the availability of 'Aravana' during the 'Mandalam-Makaravilakku'' pilgrimage season at Sabarimala this time.

Presiding over the Sabarimala review meeting held at Pampa, he said 15 lakh cans of 'Aravana' had been stocked.

In view of terrorist threats, the number of police personnel had been raised 20 per cent more than that of last year.

In addition, Rapid Action Force and Disaster Management Force were also deployed at Sabarimala, he said and added that to meet any emergency, helicopters had been kept ready at Coimbatore Air Base.

Helicopters would reach Nilackal at short notice.

The Chief Minister further expressed happiness at the harmony built up between the Travacore Devaswam Board (TDB) and the Sabarimala high power committee.

Director-General of Police Raman Srivasthava told the meeting that elaborate security arrangements had been made at Pampa and Sannidanam. Closed circuit TVs would also be installed within 15 days. Sabarimala ranked second in security arrangements after Kumbhmela, he said.

State Forest Minister Binoy Viswam said bottled drinking water would be ready for marketing at the earliest.

State Sports Minister M Vijayakumar also informed the meeting that 1,200 medical personnel had been posted. Fifty-six cardiologists are on duty at four centres. A 20-bed Sabarimala ward and a trauma care centre had been opened at the Medical College Hospital in Kotayam.

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