SABARIMALA: The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) will face an uphill task in meeting various challenges during the pilgrimage season scheduled to begin in November. The situation triggered by the Supreme Court order allowing women of all ages to enter the hill shrine, coupled with the devastation left behind by the deluge in Pampa have put the TDB in a no-win situation.
Lack of coordination among government departments, particularly the negative attitude of the Forest Department and unscientific crowd management by the police, will pose serious problems during the pilgrimage season.
The TDB had sought 100 acres of forest land for setting up facilities to cater to the growing number of pilgrims, but the Forest Department is unlikely to play ball. Meanwhile, Sabarimala Ayyappa Seva Samajan national vice-president Akeeramon Kalidasa Bhattathiri has urged the TDB to file a review petition before the SC for the protection of the ongoing practice of Ayyappa temple in the larger interest of pilgrims.
The TDB should bring the attention of the sentiments of Ayyappa devotees before the apex court, he said.
Lambasting the Forest Department for not sanctioning 100 acres of forest land to set up projects to improve basic facilities, Akeeramon said that the department should put an end to the discriminatory and anti-pilgrim attitude.
Akeeramon said that the TDB and the state government should seek the intervention of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest to delink the 100 acres of forest land from the Periyar Tiger Reserve for the implementation of basic facilities for the pilgrims.
He said the TDB should seek the intervention of the state government for the deployment of paramilitary forces, including Rapid Action Force and National Disaster Response Force, to control the heavy flow of pilgrims.