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“Action plan for Sabarimala”

SABARIMALA: Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan has said he will convene a meeting at Thiruvananthapuram soon to chalk out an action plan to implement the Sabarimala Master Plan and the Pampa Action Plan in a time-bound manner. He was talking to presspersons after inaugurating an emergency operation theatre set up by the Health Department at the Sannidhanam on Monday morning.

The Chief Minister said a proposal for an independent administrative mechanism, comprising experts in various fields, for Sabarimala would be discussed at the meeting.

He said the government wanted to provide better facilities for the pilgrims without disturbing the sanctity and serenity of the environs.

The Chief Minister said the government would definitely opt for an independent administrative body for Sabarimala, on the lines of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam, if it would improve the facilities at the pilgrim centre.

The Special Officer appointed by the government, K. Jayakumar, had successfully resolved the ‘aravana crisis,’ besides taking effective steps to address the shortage of police force to ensure better crowd management and sufficient water level in the Pampa on the foothills, he claimed.

Mr. Achuthanandan said it was for the first time in the history of Sabarimala that a state-of-the-art emergency medical care facility was set up at the Sannidhanam.

Mr. Achuthanandan called upon the Travancore Devaswom Board to explore the possibility of providing financial assistance of at least Rs. 10 lakh each to the families of pilgrims, who died at Sabarimala during the annual Mandalam-Makaravilakku festival season.

Responding to the Chief Minister’s proposal, TDB president C.K. Gupthan said the Board would meet soon to discuss the suggestion and implement it after getting the mandatory clearance from the Kerala High Court.

Mathew T. Thomas, Transport Minister; P.K. Sreemathy, Health Minister, and Mr. Jayakumar were present at the press conference.

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