Relief stalls help festival-goers beat the heat

Thrissur: With temperatures soaring at the venues of State School Kalolsavam, service stalls offering drinking water and refreshments provide much-needed relief to thousands of students, teachers and the public attending the festival.Several organisations, including local bodies, teachers' associations and service groups, have set up stalls supplying purified drinking water, buttermilk and lemon juice across the festival grounds. These stalls became a key support system as large crowds moved between venues throughout the day.Welfare committee of the Kalolsavam is supplying purified drinking water stored in traditional mud pots. Committee members said more than 20,000 litres of drinking water are distributed daily to meet demand. The committee, led by volunteers from National School Teachers Association, noted that the demand exceeded initial estimates, requiring officials to work extended hours to ensure an uninterrupted supply at all 25 venues.However, concerns have been raised about the working conditions of volunteers. "Despite the workload, facilities provided to committee members are inadequate. Basic arrangements such as shaded resting areas are not available to those working on the ground," said Suma K S, a welfare team member.Meanwhile, Kerala Hotel and Restaurants Association set up a stall and served lemon juice to visitors and participants. According to V G Shehsadri, president of its Thrissur unit, more than 20,000 litres of lemon juice had been distributed so far.Thrissur corporation arranged buttermilk outlets at various venues, while Kerala Fire Service Association is providing boiled drinking water. "Although the maximum temperature is 33Celsius, it feels like 40C, but these stalls give much-needed respite," said Deepak K, a Class X student from Thrissur.