The Madras High Court on Friday banned mobile phones and the use of plastic in the Meenakshi Amman temple in Tamil Nadu’s Madurai, where a fire had broken out on February 3, The New Indian Express reported.

The Madurai bench of the High Court said security personnel will be exempted from the mobile ban. It also recommended that the Centre provide Central Industrial Security Force protection to the temple.

The bench directed the state to form a committee that will check the stability of the temple and look into its periodical maintenance. The committee should comprise archaeological experts, architects and government experts, the bench said.

The High Court further suggested that high-definition security cameras be installed in all important temples in the state, and that temple staff be given training in handling fire-safety apparatus.

The court was hearing a petition filed by an advocate seeking to direct the central and state governments to issue guidelines for safety and security at temples. The advocate, Muthukumar, said that after the recent fire in the Madurai temple it was revealed that 300 shops had been functioning inside the temple premises though only 115 shops had been permitted, PTI reported.

The bench comprising Justices N Kirubakaran and R Tharani asked the Tamil Nadu government to file a report by March 13 detailing the safety and security measures taken at the temple so far.