The Sabarimala temple festival beginning November 16 will be held as per the COVID-19 protocol and pilgrim flow will be regulated through the virtual queue system, Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran has said.
Addressing a meeting here on Monday to review the preparations for the festival, Mr.Surendran said the government’s attempt was to organise the pilgrimage within the limitations imposed by the virus spread. This would also impose a limit on the number of pilgrims to be permitted to the temple during the festival season.
Pilgrims reaching Sabarimala with COVID negative certificate would have to register their names on the portal and they would be permitted for ‘darshan’ without rush at the Sannidhanam.
The sand deposited in the Pampa river following the flood in 2018 had been moved to the parking ground at Chakkupalam, the Pathanamthitta district administration told the meeting. Floods during the past two days might have again brought sand to the river, the district administration officials told the meeting.
Steps had been taken to manage natural disasters and the Disaster Management Authority had been told to set up an emergency operation centre at Pathanamthitta. The District Disaster Management Authority and the district administration demanded helicopter service facility for emergency evacuation.
Travancore Devaswom Board president N.Vasu said the board was ready to conduct the pilgrimage as per the COVID-19 protocol. He wanted the district administration to vacate the buildings of the board that were being used as COVID treatment centres before the festival.
It was decided that agencies such as Consumerfed would be engaged to meet the needs of pilgrims if traders refused to join shop auction. Accommodation facilities would be provided for KSRTC staff and other employees on daily wages.
Kerala Water Authority personnel said drinking water and toilet facilities would be provided for pilgrims without any hitch. All road works would be completed ahead of the pilgrimage.
Ranni and Perinad grama panchayats that come in the pilgrimage zone were told to enforce a ban on plastic. Member of the erstwhile royal family of Pandalam Sasikumara Varma demanded that the work on the resting centre at Pandalam should be completed at the earliest. The Minister directed the board president to take action on the demand of Mr.Varma.