Kochi, Feb 4 (PTI) The Kerala High Court on Friday sought the response of the State government and the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) on a plea initiated by it on its own in relation to the permission granted to a Delhi-based trust to hold a nine-day-long 'Ramakatha' programme in Pamba-Triveni Manalppuram area of Pathanamthitta district.

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A Bench of Justices Anil K Narendran and P G Ajithkumar, the State government and the TDB, also issued notice to the trust and sought its stand by February 7. The notice asked whether permission from the Forest Department was obtained for the programme and whether such events were held there in the past.

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The court initiated the proceedings on its own on February 3 based on a newsreport which said the Board had already issued orders leasing out the area to the trust for the programme and steps been taken to clean the surroundings, put up a 'pandal' and lease out the parking area and helipad at Nilakkal.

The newsreport, according to the court, also said there was no clarity as to whether police clearance has been granted for conducting the programme and using the helipad.

During the hearing today, the TDB told the Bench that the District Medical Officer of Pathanamthitta has requested the trust to conduct the programme online as the district was falling in 'C' category in view of the rise in COVID-19 cases there.

The Board told the court that the Delhi-based Nandkishore Bajoria Charitable Trust was making preparations to conduct the programme online.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)