The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : TDB to set up Aravana plant

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Nov 26, 2007
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Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

TDB to set up Aravana plant

N.J. Nair

Expected to put an end to complaints about shortage

New plant will have a capacity of five lakh cans a day
Preparation of ‘appam’ to be mechanised

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) is planning to set up a new plant for the preparation, cooling and packing of Aravana prasadam at Sabarimala.

Board sources told The Hindu that against the average capacity of the existing plant to prepare 80,000 cans a day, the new plant will have the capacity to produce 5 lakh cans per day.

The installation cost of the plant has been pegged at Rs.8 crore.

Options to enhance volume

The Board would also try to mechanise the preparation of ‘appam’ from the next festival season, sources said.

Considering the increasing demand for prasadam every year, the Board has been exploring various options to enhance the volume so that a steady supply can be ensured during the festival season lasting 70 days a year.

The new plant is expected to put an end to the complaints about the shortage being felt at present.

Disruption

Following a disruption in the production mechanism this year, the Board was forced to restrict supply.

The Board had also drawn flak for its failure in making arrangements for the preparation of Aravana well before the onset of the season.

Even though the eight-year build-operate-transfer agreement struck with a private company expired in April, no efforts were made to train TDB staff in operating the plant and the Board was forced to award the contract this year too.

The agreement was signed only four days before the commencement of the pilgrim season.

Safeguards

A proposal to shift the plant to a safer place was mooted following a fire outbreak some years ago. It had been pointed out that the plant and the furnaces were located in a place frequented by pilgrims.

The proposed plant will be on 50 cents of land and would meet security safeguards too. The containers would be purchased from the local market and flip-open lids from Taiwan. By running its own plant, the Board will be able to overcome all hitches in supply, sources said.

AMUL’s expertise

Meanwhile, Anand Milk Union Limited (AMUL) is reported to have offered its expertise for packing the prasadam free-of-cost.

A decision for setting up the new plant is expected to be made before the end of the season.

The Board would also look into the possibilities of getting sponsors to bear the installation cost, sources said.

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