Devotees throng in large numbers during a procession of the Thrissur Pooram festival.
Credit: PTI Photo
Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government has urged the Centre to ease the fresh regulations on conduct of fireworks citing that many new norms will affect conduct of popular fireworks like the Thrissur Pooram.
Kerala revenue minister K Rajan has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in this regard on Monday.
The Thrivambady and Paramekkavu devaswoms that are involved in the conduct of the Thrissur Pooram have also raised concerns. The Thekkinkadu ground where the Thrissur Pooram is being held did not have adequate space to follow the fresh norms, they cite.
As many as 35 new regulations with regard to the conduct of fireworks have been notified by the Centre, of which five norms are crucial for Kerala.
The fresh norm that the licensed magazine should be at least 200 metres away from the fire work site is one of the key concerns. So far the distance prescribed by the Explosives Rules was 45 metres.
Another concern raised by Kerala is over 100 metre distance to be maintained between fire work shed and display site and another 100 metre between display site and spectators. The fresh norm that NOC should be obtained from schools, nursing homes and hospitals in 250 metres had also caused concern. Kerala government suggested that the term schools shall be changed to schools functioning at the time of the fire work.
Incidentally, the fresh row concerning the Thrissur Pooram has come up when the disruption caused to the famed festival in May is a hot topic in the ongoing bypoll campaign to two Assembly seats and Wayanad Parliament seat.