The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Streamline facilities in Sabarimala, says BJP

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Tuesday, Oct 21, 2008
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Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Streamline facilities in Sabarimala, says BJP

Roy Mathew

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has urged Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan and Devaswom Minister G. Sudhakaran to ensure coordination of different departments in streamlining the facilities for Sabarimala pilgrimage.

A BJP delegation led by party State president P.K. Krishnadas made this demand in a memorandum submitted to the Chief Minister and the Devaswom Minister after visiting Sabarimala.

The memorandum said coordination was lacking between various government departments in making arrangements for the pilgrimage. Differences were acute and that yielded only controversies, it said.

It said the roads and transit camps needed improvement. Urgent steps were needed to review the progress of various works. Work on a queue complex and sanitary facilities should be completed before the season begins. Arrangements should be made for providing free meals to pilgrims with the cooperation of voluntary organisations, institutions and individuals. Toll collection on the Chalakkyam-Pamba road should be discontinued. Higher charges for power and KSRTC services should also be dropped, the memorandum said.

The Home Minister, it said, should personally evaluate the security arrangements. Proposals in the reports of various commissions, the ‘harivarasanam project’ prepared by Hindu organisations and the Pampa Action Plan should be implemented, it said.

The Pathanamthitta general hospital should be upgraded as a super-speciality hospital. Steps should be taken to push forward the proposals for rail connectivity to Sabarimala and its declaration as a national pilgrimage centre, it said.

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