Concern over allowing devotees to climb hills on Maha Deepam day

Forest Department opposes large crowds climbing Arunachala hills on Maha Deepam day due to safety concerns after recent deaths.

The Forest Department is against the plan of allowing a large number of devotees to climb the Arunachala hills in Tiruvannamalai on Maha Deepam day, which falls on December 13, following the recent deaths due to rain.

The department’s reluctance to allow people to climb the hillock comes in the wake of the death of seven persons, including five children. They were buried after a huge boulder fell on their house on Monday. The incident was triggered by landslips that occurred in the hills the previous evening.

This year, the district administration plans to issue special passes for around 2,500 persons to climb the hills on Maha Deepam day. “It’s risky to allow many people to climb the hills when the terrain is wet with loosened soil and rocks. Any movement in the hills can be safer only when they become dry,” a senior forest official said.

Collector D. Bhaskara Pandian handles the entire operation of allowing devotees to climb the 2,668 foot-high hillock in coordination with HR&CE, police, fire fighters, civic bodies and forest officials.

“As the district administration is involved in rescue and relief operations, a decision on allowing people to climb the hills will be taken soon. Safety of trekkers will be kept in mind,” Collector Mr. Pandian told The Hindu.

  Sunday’s landslip happened on the eastern side of the hills where devotees will be allowed to climb on Maha Deepam day. Forest officials said that on an average, around four to six hours are required to climb the hills. People involved in lighting the fire atop the hills will be allowed on the route to take items including cauldron, camphor, and ghee. Forest officials will monitor the entire exercise to prevent any untoward incidents especially forest fires.