The Survey Department on Tuesday launched a survey of the forestland allotted to the Travancore Devaswom Board at Sabarimala by the government.
According to TDB public relations officer Murali Kottackakom, the survey is being conducted in association with the Forest Department and TDB officials, effectively making use of the Total Station and the Global Positioning System.
TDB president Prayar Gopalakrishnan formally launched the survey at Sabarimala.
Request from TDB
Mr. Gopalakrishnan said the government directed the Survey Department to conduct the survey on a request from the TDB in the wake of the Forest Department objecting to the board’s claim on 6.5 acres of forestland allotted to it by the government for carrying out the vedi vazhipadu offering at Sabarimala.
Though the Forest Department denied permission to conduct vedi vazhipadu at Sabarimala a few weeks ago, the offering was resumed soon following the intervention of the Kerala High Court, he said.
The survey team comprises M.P. Vinodkumar, T.S.Lal, J.S.Ravi, K.Mahadevan, and Sunilkumar.