Trade unionism likely to hit Sabarimala Onasadya
SABARIMALA: The stoppage of tractor traffic between Pampa and Sannidhanam following the standoff between tractor owners and trade unions over wages has reached a flash point with the conduct of the four-day Onasadya offering and special rituals stuck in a quandary.
With the hill shrine opening for nine-day Onam festival, including the four days of Onasadya, the stoppage of tractor traffic is set to affect the conduct of the ongoing practice of Onasadya offerings to thousands of pilgrims at Sannidhanam.
Though the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) initiated steps to supply inputs for the conduct of poojas, the stalemate is set to hit the conduct of offerings like ‘pushpabhishekam’ to Lord Ayyappa, which needs tractor-loads of flowers to be ferried from Dindigul in Tamil Nadu and Bengaluru. TDB member Ajay Tharayil said the police authorities and the district authorities have failed to to implement the High Court order to resolve the standstill. This has affected the ongoing projects, he said.
The important projects that are stalled include free food preparation and distribution centre at Malikappuram, with a capacity to accommodate 3,000 pilgrims, streamlining of the Sannidhanam sewage treatment plant, drinking water distribution project, including kiosks, new prasadam complex and the annual maintenance work of buildings. The strike has also thwarted the awarding of new projects worth crores, including remodelling of Valiyanadapandal, as the contractors kept away from the tendering process.