Pilgrims are put to much hardship by the lack of facility to supply food and water to Sabarimala-bound pilgrims along the six-kilometre stretch of the Pulmedu-Sannidhanam forest path.
Travancore Devaswom Board president Prayar Gopalakrishnan and Chief Engineer V. Sankaran Potti inspected the Sathram-Pulmedu-Sannidhanam path following reports of water scarcity on the route on Friday.
Mr. Gopalakrishnan told The Hindu that the Forest Department had failed to provide drinking water along the Pulmedu-MGR Nagar-Paandithavalom route.
The TDB chief apprised Water Resources Minister Mathew T. Thomas of the situation along the forest route. Mr. Thomas told the TDB chief that the Kerala Water Authority would arrange 22 lakh litres of potable water at Pulmedu where scores of devotees will congregate for worshipping the Makaravilakku deeparadhana on Saturday.
KWA Assistant Executive Engineer Azi Lukose said 22,000 litres of drinking water would be stocked at Pulmedu by Friday afternoon.
Many pilgrims complained that no drinking water was available along the Pulmedu-Sannidhanam path. Moreover, the Forest personnel on duty along the Sannidhanam path forcibly collect water carried in plastic bottles by the pilgrims, without providing alternative arrangements, they alleged.
The revenue collection at Sabarimala during the ongoing Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season has been recorded at ₹200,88,99,974 as on Thursday evening, according to TDB sources. This is against the ₹184,22,66,459 collected during the previous pilgrim season, according to TDB sources.
The Aravana and Appam sales fetched ₹87,96,67,170 and ₹15,14,74,800 respectively on Thursday evening. The Hundi collection during the period was ₹68,86,79,669, sources said.
