The Hindu : Front Page : Sabarimala ordinance before Cabinet

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Friday, Oct 03, 2008
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Sabarimala ordinance before Cabinet

Radhakrishnan Kuttoor

G. Sudhakaran sees need to make TDB corruption-free.

PATHANAMTHITTA: Devaswom Minister G. Sudhakaran has stressed the need for coordinated efforts by the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), government departments and other stakeholders for the smooth conduct of the Mandalam-Makaravilakku season at Sabarimala beginning November 16.

Talking to The Hindu on Thursday, the Minister said the government was duty-bound to ensure smooth conduct of the pilgrimage. The practice of coordinating the functioning of various departments and the TDB by a senior IAS official was often found to have been handicapped in the absence of statutory powers for the official to act at times of crisis.

Mr. Sudhakaran said the Devaswom Department had prepared an ordinance for constituting a high-level committee with statutory powers for the smooth conduct of the season. The panel would have TDB authorities, top officials, heads of various departments, nominees of the judiciary and representatives of major stakeholders on it. The ordinance had been pending before the Cabinet for the past one month. The role of the government had now been restricted to mere coordination. But once the ordinance came into force, it would be the implementing agency.

He said the government had been unfailingly placing its suggestions and reports on Sabarimala before the High Court from time to time through the Devaswom Ombudsman as only the judiciary could initiate steps to rectify the flaws in the temple administrative body as per the Travancore Cochin Hindu Religious Institutions Act, 1950. He said the Board being on a collision course with the Devaswom commission was not a healthy trend.

The Minister said the TDB had become a den of corruption and many felt the need for an atonement ritual to purify it and make it corruption-free and devotee-oriented.

Security

He said the Home Department was making security arrangements for Sabarimala in the backdrop of reported terrorist threats to certain places of worship. The Minister said he and the Home Minister had written to the Central government exploring the possibility of deploying Central security forces at Sabarimala during the pilgrim season. The State proposed to construct police barracks at Sabarimala, provided the TDB allotted land.

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