Ambika Soni to inaugurate Aranmula boat race on Aug. 30

             

August 12
Pathanamthitta
Union Minister for Tourism Ambika Soni will inaugurate this year’s Uthrittathi Vallamkali, snakeboat regatta, at Aranmula in Pathanamthitta district on August 30.According to the Palliyoda Seva Sanghom (PSS) which organises the event, Minister for Home Affairs and Tourism Kodiyeri Balakrishnan will preside over the inaugural ceremony. Devaswom Minister G. Sudhakaran and Water Resources Minister N.K. Premachandran will address the meeting.

PSS president K.G. Sasidharan Pillai said Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister T.K.A. Nair would light the ceremonial lamp. He said that a total of 39 snakeboats would take part in the regatta. The procession of snakeboats in the water stadium in Pampa would be flagged off at 1.30 p.m.

Trophies & awards
The boat race would begin at 2.30 p.m. Mr. Pillai said two new snakeboats belonging to Edappavur and Punamthottom Karayogams would participate in the regatta. The Thaimaravumkara Palliyodam too will participate in the annual event after a gap of five years, he said. The winners in the boat race would be presented with Mannam Trophy and R. Sankar Memorial Trophy, besides cash awards sponsored by the District Tourism Promotion Council.

Preparations on
The PSS called upon the Government to take necessary steps to maintain sufficient water level in the Aranmula water stadium for the smooth conduct of the annual event by releasing water from the Moozhiyar dam of the Kerala State Electricity Board and the Maniyar barrage of the Pampa Irrigation Project, if needed. Mr. Pillai said the Public Works Department agreed to extend the length of the VIP pavilion by 100 metres so as to accommodate more people.