The stampede at Uppupara or Pulmedu (grassland) in the Periyar Tiger Reserve that killed over 100 Sabarimala pilgrims on Friday night has left a pall of gloom over the otherwise serene forests traditionally called ‘Poonkavanom,' meaning a “sacred grove,” of Lord Ayyappa.
The tragedy reportedly occurred at 7.15 p.m. when there was a maddening rush of pilgrims from the grasslands immediately after the sighting of ‘Makarajyoti' on the hillside of Ponnamabalamedu, situated nearly 8 km (aerial distance) from Pulmedu.
According to highly reliable official sources, only four policemen were posted for crowd management at Pulmedu, where as many as 2.5 lakh pilgrims had congregated for the Makarajyoti darshan on January 14.
One of the four policemen left for the grasslands to witness the Makarajyoti later, further reducing their strength to a mere three. The presence of forest personnel too was reportedly scarce.
Idukki Collector Ashok Kumar Singh said he had sent a letter to the District Superintendent of Police, with a copy to the DySP at Kattappana, at 7 p.m. on January 8 itself, instructing them to mobilise sufficient police at Pulmedu, Vandiperiyar and Vallakadavu to avert chances of law and order problems at these places.
There were also reports of blatant violations of important rules and safety norms by taxi operators as well as the officials on duty.
It is estimated that as many as 250 jeeps and 100 autorickshaws have been allegedly operating an unauthorised service between Vandiperiyar and Uppupara. A majority of these jeeps have been specially designed to carry 30-35 people inside as well as on the rooftop and on either side. The matter was reported by almost all mainstream newspapers and television media over the past several years but to no avail.
As in the previous years, the Forest department opened the Vallakadavu-Uppupara road on December 12 at the request of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation for transportation of pilgrims during the Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season.
The KSRTC has been operating 15 buses on the route, conducting 35 to 40 trips daily. According to KSRTC Special Officer Easter Yashica, 85 buses were pressed into service on the route on January 14 in view of the heavy rush.
Allegations doing the rounds at Vandiperiyar town are that certain quarters attached to the Forest, Police and Motor Vehicles departments have been collecting a hefty sum from the unauthorised operators, ultimately leading to the fleecing of pilgrims, not to speak of the resultant threat to people's lives.
Though a company of the National Disaster Response Force was deployed at Sabarimala from the very beginning of the annual pilgrim season, its expertise was not utilised even when the tragedy struck at Uppupara.
The Justice T. Chandrashekhara Menon Commission, which inquired into the Pampa Hilllltop stampede that took a toll of 53 lives in 1999, as well as the 10th Legislative Environment Panel headed by A.V. Thamarakshan categorically stated the need to provide basic facilities to pilgrims and to ensure their safety in the forests. Ironically, various Ministers as well as top officials who used to review the arrangements for the Sabarimala pilgrimage every year appeared to have conveniently sidelined the matter, leading to the sad state of affairs there.
“The Travancore Devaswom Board president's statement that the stampede victims will not receive any insurance claim as the Pulmedu route has not been brought under the insurance cover is the height of irresponsibility,” said an octogeneraian devotee in Pathanamthitta. It was high time the authorities concerned rose to the occasion and protected the interests of the Sabarimala pilgrims, he added.
