Sabarimala owes much to the 800-strong dedicated Tamil workforce deployed by the Sabarimala Sanitation Society (SSS) chaired by the Pathanamthitta Collector for the upkeep of the pilgrim centre where thousands of people from different parts of the country visit daily during the pilgrimage season.
“We have taken cleaning the abode of Lord Ayyappa as a God-given opportunity to serve Him. This is our humble service to Lord Ayyappa,’’ say a group of Tamil workers with folded hands.
“We have to learn a lot from these poor Tamil workers who toil a lot to keep Sabarimala and Pampa clean and hygienic,” a pilgrim from Alappuzha commented at the sight of the SSS workers removing a heap of nauseating filth from the pilgrims’ path at Neelimala.
District Collector R.Girija told The Hindu that one should respect the dedication, dignity and devotion of these Tamil workers who have been doing yeoman service at Sabarimala round-the-clock.
According to Ms. Girija, 300 sanitation workers have been deployed at Pampa, 375 at the Sannidhanam and along the trekking path, 75 at Nilackal, 25 at Pandalam, and 10 each at Kulanada and Vadasserikkara.
The society has recruited all sanitation workers from Cumbom, Theni, Madurai and surrounding areas in Tamil Nadu with the help of the Akhila Bharatha Ayyappa Seva Sanghom State unit there.
The sanitation workers are being paid ₹350 as daily wage, besides food, accommodation, two pairs of uniform, footwears, bathing soap and coconut oil, she said. The Collector said entire Sabarimala has been divided into different sectors and sanitation workers were deployed under a Revenue official in each sector so as to ensure effective sanitation in the area.
The society has installed waste bins at different points and every possible step has been taken for the disposal of the waste in the safest possible way, the Collector said.
The workers collect the waste and transport it in tractors to the incinerators at Pampa, Sannidhanam and Nilackal for disposal.
The SSS was founded in 1995 by the then District Collector K.B. Valsalakumari in an effort to bring an end to the sanitation problem at Sabarimala, braving opposition from contractor lobbies.
Her successor, Inderjit Singh had introduced an insurance cover for all Tamil workers who constitute the SSS backbone.
