THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Putting an end to months-long uncertainty, the state government has directed the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) to dispose of the huge stock of stale aravana at the Sabarimala temple.
The board, within a few days, will call for expressions of interest (EoI) from companies or organisations that can perform the task. The board withheld 6.65 lakh cans of aravana, worth about Rs 7 crore, following an order by the High Court in January 2023.
TDB president P S Prasanth told TNIE that they were waiting for a formal letter from the Devaswom Department. The TDB also plans to monitor the disposal process to avoid ‘misuse’. “We will ensure that the winner of the contract executes it properly. Steps will be taken to prevent its sale to people who are unaware of the process. The disposal process should be environment-friendly,” he said.
Earlier, central public sector company HLL approached the board with a proposal to develop a machine for the task. The machine would remove the top and bottom portions of the can, segregate the aravana, and use it for manure production.However, the high-level meeting decided to go for an EoI to explore all options.