Steep hike in premium puts breaks on bull run
“Though all arrangements were in place, bulls arrived from various areas and spectators anticipation was high, it all ended when permission was not granted”
The track and viewers stand readied for bull run at Vellakuttai near Vaniyambadi, but the run stopped due to lack of permission
VELLORE: Traditional bull runs proposed in many villages in Vellore and Tirupattur districts have been put on hold following district administrations insisting on insurance coverage for participants as a precondition to giving nod to the runs and the steep hike in one time premium.
What irked the villagers was that insurance companies steeply hiked the one time premium following nearly five bull run related deaths in Vellore district and one in Tirupattur sources said. “While we paid around Rs 10,000 plus last year, this year the amount runs into lakhs for single time insurance premium,” said P Balaraman, bull run event coordinator for Vellakuttai village near Vaniyambadi.
While sanction was accorded to 55 villages in Vellore district, the insurance clause resulted in villagers resorting to road rokos in many areas in Anaicut and Oosur areas. Bull runs planned in Sivanadapuram and Athiyur villages on Wednesday and Thursday were stopped due to this condition. “Both revenue and police officials were deployed to ensure that bull runs did not take place,” sources said.
“In Tirupattur district, online registration repeatedly showed error and government offices being deserted on Saturday last due to the onset of the Pongal holidays affected permission being granted on time,” lamented Balaraman.
“Though all arrangements were in place, bulls arrived from various areas and spectators anticipation was high, it all ended when permission was not granted,” he added.
Premia also differed with each insurance company collecting different rates, officials said. LIC sources said that premia was hiked as many insurance companies had to pay out for both death and injury last year. Contesting this Balaraman said that the claim for one death of a participant at Nimmiampattu near Alangayam last year was yet to be settled despite premium being paid. Collector D Baskara Pandian refuting it said, “Payment would be made only if organisers obeyed rules stipulated by the administration. Payment would not be made if fatalities occurred beyond the time limit and out of the area earmarked for the run.”
