Panel satisfied with basic facilities in Sabarimala

Pathanamthitta: The Kerala high court-appointed Sabarimala Observatory Committee has reviewed the basic facilities in Nilakkal and Pamba. The panel expressed satisfaction over the essential amenities in Nilakkal but they didn’t respond to the situation in Pamba.

Though the toilets in Pamba are 60, less than the required number, the committee spoke about the need for more toilets.

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The Devaswom Board and the government officers were ready to give their inputs to the panel, the committee said it would collect first-hand information.

The committee consists of judges PR Raman and S Sirijagan and DGP A Hemachandran. They reached Nilakkal at 12:30 PM on Sunday.

At the administrative office of Devaswom, they held talks with Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) MD Tomin Thachankary and Sabarimala executive officer Ajith Kumar for about one-and-half hours.

After that the team visited the Nilakkal parking grounds, drinking water facility, toilet complex, Annadhana mandapam, KSRTC bus stand, cleansing facilities and places where sheets were spread for taking rest.

The team travelled from Nilakkal to Pamba in a KSRTC electric bus to evaluate facilities hands-on.

Meanwhile, the state government has moved the Supreme Court asking for the pending high court cases related to Sabarimala to be transferred to the apex court. The government also moved the SC against the appointment of the three-member panel to inspect Sabarimala.

In the government petition, it said that the high court’s rulings were ‘going against the spirit of the constitutional bench’s judgement’. The Supreme Court verdict on September 28 allowing the entry of women of all age groups into the Sabarimala temple had made the famous shrine a battlefield.

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