Better facilities for Sabarimala pilgrims soon

He said that major works envisaged at Sannidhanam include a sewage-treatment plant, two six-storeyed buildings and two latrine complexes.

In Pampa, the 1600-sq metre Ganapati Kovil area would be concretised before the next season. The board would also construct a water tank having two lakh litre capacity at Pampa.

The TDB would prepare modakam, vazhipatu to Lord Vigneswara, by using thermal fluid system from next season.

The TDB chief said the board had also decided to construct a permanent structure at Pampa for royal family members to offer vibhooti to devotees. Menon solicited sponsorships for mobilising funds for the projects.

Toensure quality of prasadams the board had decided to introduce a mechanised system for speedy packing and distribution, avoiding manual labour, as the demand for appam and aravana was increasing, Menon said.

Asked way the board was ignoring the recommendation of assembly environment panel and environmentalists to consult terrain experts before initiating construction works at Sabarimala, Menon said all the proposed works to be initiated on the 200-hectare forest land, for which TDB was awaiting clearance from forest authorities, would be carried out only after consulting the experts.

“The board is committed to completing works costing Rs 18 crore well before the next season. So there is no time to consult an expert in this case,” he clarified.

The president evaded questions regarding the deteriorating relationship between the Tantri and Travancore Devaswom Board.