The Hindu : Acute drinking water scarcity at Sabarimala

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 14, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Acute drinking water scarcity at Sabarimala

By Our Staff Reporter

PATHANAMTHITTA. March 13. Acute water scarcity at Sabarimala is expected to pose much hardship to pilgrims visiting the Ayyappa temple. The temple was opened for the five-day monthly poojas in the Malayalam month of `Meenom', on Saturday afternoon.

The Pampa river on the foothills of Sabarimala has turned dry, virtually forcing the devotees to forgo the customary holy dip prior to the trek. There is an acute shortage of drinking water at Sabarimala as the Kerala Water Authority has not been able to pump water due to the drying up of river in its upper reaches.

According to the Public Relations Officer of the Travancore Devaswom Board, Mohan Perinad, the Board has decided not to open its accommodation centres at the Sannidhanam, except the Devaswom Guest House, due to water scarcity.

He said that three of the four water tanks with a total storage capacity of 40 lakh litres at Sabarimala were empty and the remaining tank had storage of only five-lakh litres.

He said the TDB has already requested the Government to release water to the Pampa from the Sabarigiri reservoir in view of the acute drought situation.

The five-day pooja at the Ayyappa Temple will begin with the Ganapathi homam tomorrow.

The `padi pooja' and `udayasthamana pooja' will be performed on all the five days. The five-day pooja will come to a close with the `athazha pooja' on March 18.

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