The Hindu Facilities sought for pilgrims along the 48-km long traditional route The Akhila Bharatha Ayyappa Seva Sanghom (ABASS) has called upon the government to provide Aska Lamps at various points on the Erumeli-Azhutha-Karimala-Valiyanavattom traditional path leading to Sabarimala Sannidhanam on a warfooting basis. Talking to The Hindu , N.Velayudhan Nair, ABASS general secretary, said that pilgrims undertaking the 48-km long traditional forest route should be provided with basic facilities such as water, light, food and basic facilities at Azhutha and Karimala. Presently, the Ayyappa Seva Sanghom camp managed by an octogenarian devotee, Gurumurthy Chettiar, from Tamil Nadu is the only pilgrim amenity centre at Karimala where the devotees get free food, medicated drinking water, halting facility, and first-aid. Though the Eco Development Committees (EDC) attached to the Forest Department has opened a good number of shops and eateries on the traditional Sabarimala path, there were allegations of fleecing of pilgrims at these shops. Pilgrims had to pay even up to Rs. 50 for a litre of bottled drinking water at Karimala during the previous Makaravilakku pilgrim season. Mr. Nair said the Ayyappa Seva Sanghom had constructed two large earthen water tanks for rainwater harvesting at Karimala. Tanks emptied Certain anti-social elements had emptied these tanks to create artificial water scarcity during the peak days of the pilgrim season a few years ago. He alleged that officials were reluctant to act against shops run by an agency attached to the Forest department. The Sanghom general secretary called upon the government and the Travancore Devaswom Board to take necessary steps to supply cooking gas (liquid petroleum gas) to Sabarimala Sannidhanam from Pampa through a pipeline network. He said the Indian Oil Corporation was willing to lay a gas pipeline between Pampa and Sannidhanam. Mr. Nair said the government should execute the proposed ropeway project for transportation of goods between Pampa and Sanidhanam as envisaged in the Sabarimala Master Plan in a time-bound manner. He said constructing a moving platform before the temple sopanam would be of great help in stopping the push and pull of devotees by the police and Devaswom guards.
Posted on: Tue, 30 Dec 2014 03:00:35 +0000