Kollam Temple Fire: History of Warnings, and a Disaster in Waiting

Is the fire tragedy at the temple in Kollam which killed over 96 people, a disaster in waiting?

The temple in Kollam, Kerala organises a competitive fireworks display each year. (Photo: The News Minute)

• Puttingal Temple is situated in the coastal town of Paravur in Kollam district of Kerala.
  
• Its a Hindu temple built in the name of the goddess, Bhadrakali.
  
• Massive fireworks celebrations a part of the temple festival for decades.
  
• A fire broke out at the temple around 3:30 am on Sunday.
  
• At least 86 persons killed and over 350 injured.
  
• Explosion was caused when the storehouse of fireworks materials caught fire.
  

Competitive Fireworks Each Year

Each year the temple organises a competitive fireworks display, with different groups participating and putting on fireworks shows for thousands of devotees.

Sometime ago Kerala High Court banned competitive light shows at temples citing inadequate safety norms. After repeated warnings to the temples, a district-level ban on fireworks or pyrotechnics was implemented. But the shows are held on the basis of temporary permits annually. Such permits are given on the grounds of religious tradition.

Sometime between 3 am and 3:30 am on Sunday, one of the fireworks, which was supposed to explode in the air and fizzle out, instead fell on the ground with the resulting sparks causing a huge fire. The fire then spread to a mound of 12 fireworks which were being stored nearby, leading to a massive explosion that could be heard hundreds of metres away.

(Photo: Documents accessed by The News Minute)

No Permission for Fireworks

While the rescue operation is underway, media reports suggest that Kollam Additional District Magistrate (ADM) had not granted permission to the temple for the annual competitive fireworks carried out by the Kollam Puttingal temple.

According to The News Minute, in a document dated 1 March, the ADM had denied permission for the annual ‘competitive fireworks’ in which two temple priests attempt to outdo each other with the kind of fireworks they have in their kitty.

(Photo: Documents accessed by The News Minute)

The document says that the Collector had received a complaint from a woman named Pankajakshi, whose house was located 25 metres away from the temple. She complained that each year, her house was damaged by the display and that there were elderly and sick people who were inconvenienced.

Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. (Photo: PTI)

Rescue in the Times of Election Code of Conduct

The single phase polling date for the Kerala Assembly elections is 16 May 2016. The election campaigning is on in Kerala and the Election Code of Conduct is binding on all parties.

Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala from the ruling United Democratic Front, has sought the necessary sanction from the election commission to exclude the treatment facilities to the injured from the ambit of the code of conduct. Once the elections have been declared, monetary and support efforts to the voters are considered a violation of the code of conduct.

Election Code of Conduct in the times of Crisis/Disaster

• Ex-gratia and relief to be given under intimation to the Election Commission.
  
• No change in the extant of compensation can be made without EC’s permission.
  
• New works to mitigate the effects of disasters can be taken up only with prior permission of EC.
  
• An area shall not be declared disaster affected without prior approval of the Commission.
  
• Any selective assistance to a group of persons from the PM’s or the CM’s Relief Fund requires prior approval.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of the dead.