he Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in a memorandum, has called upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take necessary steps to give Special Administrative Region (SAR) status for Sabarimala.
In the memorandum, BJP State general secretary A.N. Radhakrishnan said: ‘‘Sabarimala has the potential to become a global pilgrimage destination. However, its ad hoc management needs to be designated as a SAR.’’
According to him, the State government and the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) have been facing many difficulties in properly coordinating the pilgrimage to Sabarimala. For one, the TDB has a temporary executive system, organised only for the pilgrimage season. Also, finances are inadequate and the Centre does not issue timely clearances for developing adequate infrastructure in the statutory reserve forests.
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Moreover, the Sabarimala management, owing to its poor track record, is now being monitored by the Kerala High Court. ‘‘It is most desirable to bring forth an act of Parliament and designate the combined revenue sub-division and forest sub-divisions, including Perinad village that houses the Sabarimala temple, as a Special Administrative Region,’’ the memorandum said.
Finances are inadequate and the Centre does not issue timely clearances for infrastructure