PATHANAMTHITTA: With the Sabarimala pilgrimage season fast approaching, the Travancore Devaswom Board is facing a fresh challenge in ensuring an uninterrupted supply of ghee to the hill shrine, with repeated tender attempts failing to attract eligible suppliers. Against this backdrop, Milma, which stayed away from the latest tender, has once again emerged as a likely supplier, with the Board initiating talks with the dairy cooperative to work out a possible arrangement.
Though Milma did not participate in the latest tender floated for the procurement of 50,000 litres of ghee, the Devaswom Board has initiated discussions with the dairy cooperative’s Thiruvananthapuram Regional Union office-bearers to explore the possibility of procuring ghee from it.
The Board will hold discussions with Milma representatives at its headquarters to finalise the price and other terms of supply. TDB president K Jayakumar said the board was yet to take a final call on procuring ghee from Milma for aravana production and would seek legal advice before deciding on the matter.
According to him, the anticipated shortfall at the beginning of the season was only around 10,000 litres, and there was no immediate cause for concern over availability.
The likelihood of Milma as a supplier comes amid an ongoing Vigilance probe into the alleged supply of adulterated ghee to Sabarimala in Milma’s name during the previous pilgrimage season.