Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Row in TDB over ‘prasadam’ distribution at Sabarimala

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A controversy is brewing in the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) over an alleged attempt by certain sections in the board to derail the ‘prasadam’ preparation and distribution system.

Commissioner P.V. Nalinakshan Nair has written to Devaswom Minister G. Sudhakaran and Devaswom Ombudsman R. Bhaskaran on March 4 seeking to order an inquiry into the bid to disrupt the ‘prasadam’ manufacturing and distribution system and ease out Dhanalakshmi Bank from the responsibility of distributing coupons for selling the ‘prasadam’ at Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple.

The new system introduced at the behest of the high power committee had led to a 50 per cent increase in the income from ‘prasadam’ distribution.

A quantum increase has been registered in the monthly income too. But a section of the board officials and certain others had filed fake complaints alleging corruption in the sale of ‘appam’ and ‘aravana’ during the previous festival season, he said.

The previous festival was conducted under the strict guidance and monitoring of the high power committee comprising senior officials. Certain officials had launched a campaign to defame the officials who had taken the lead in organising the festival and raised corruption charges during the festival season itself. Mr. Nair alleged that the officials who gave leadership to the festival management were targeted to upset the entire system.

Other than the police and the vigilance, Sainik Welfare Board personnel were posted in strength at all key positions, including the counting stations at Sabarimala.

When the production and distribution were entrusted with a private company for eight years, there were complaints of unaccounted sale. No instance of unaccounted sale of ‘prasadam’ or pilferage was reported during the previous festival.

The board had gained an additional income of Rs.1 crore from the sale of ‘prasadam’ alone.

The commissioner urged the Minister and Mr. Bhaskaran to conduct a thorough inquiry into the loss incurred by the board through the sale of ‘prasadam’ between 1999 and 2006 and also the charges levelled against the officers on duty during the previous festival season.

Mr. Nair also said the allegations seemed to have been raised with the intention to remove Dhanalakshmi Bank from the task of issuing the coupons.

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