The path to Sri Sundaramahalingam Temple on Sathuragiri hills traverses the Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary for a distance of 4.75 km. (File Photo) | Photo Credit: G. Moorthy more-in With reserved forest area of Sathuragiri facing acute drinking water shortage due to drought, the district administrations of Virudhunagar and Madurai have urged the devotees going to Sri Sundaramahalingam Temple atop the hill for Aadi Amavasai festival to return to the plains before 4 p.m. Officials of Virudhunagar and Madurai districts, led by Collectors A. Sivagnanam (Virudhunagar) and K. Veera Raghava Rao (Madurai), had a consultative meeting regarding preparations to be made for the festival scheduled for July 23. In a statement, Mr. Sivagnanam, said devotees would be allowed to climb the hill from Thaniparai in Virudhunagar district through the 5.5-km path, including 4.75 km of the path traversing the Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary, for six days from Thursday to Tuesday (July 25). He said the devotees would be permitted to climb up and down the hilly terrain between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. The district administrations would put up drinking water tanks at every 500 metres in the hilly path for the benefit of the devotees. Around 85,000 litres of water at Sri Sundaramahalingam Temple and 35,000 litres of water at Sri Santhanamahalingam Temple had already been stocked. Adequate parking facility for vehicles would be created at Thaniparai. Around 200 special buses would be operated from Rajapalayam, Srivilliputtur, Sivakasi, Sattur, Virudhunagar, T. Kallupatti, Usilampatti and Madurai to Thaniparai. A temporary bus stand would be set up at Thaniparai. The steep and difficult stretches on the narrow lanes had been levelled. Besides, generators would be used for lighting up the path, he said. Several teams of Forest, police and fire service personnel would be deployed at vantage points to ensure security to the devotees. The devotees and their belongings would be checked, and liquor bottles, beedis, cigarattes, plastic carry bags and other inflammable items should not be carried by the devotees. They were also advised against lighting camphor in the hilly region. The Collector also said no permission would be granted for putting up shops and distributing food on the hilly path. Over 1,300 police personnel would be deployed on the route. Eight ambulances, two motorbike ambulances, nine medical teams and four mobile medical teams would be posted on those days. Superintendents of Police M. Rajarajan (Virudhunagar) and N. Manivannan (Madurai) and officials from various departments participated in the meeting.

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