The Central Empowered Committee (CEC) has found blatant violation of guidelines fixed for implementing various pilgrim amenity projects by the high power committee (HPC) for implementation of the Sabarimala Master Plan.
In its interim report submitted before the Supreme Court, CEC member-secretary Amarnatha Shetty blamed the responsible quarters for not developing a self-contained base camp at Nilackal, a major component in the master plan.
The proposal was to utilise the 110 hectares of forest land allotted to the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) at Nilackal for developing a main base camp for pilgrims so as to considerably reduce the construction activities at Pampa and Sabarimala situated in the Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR).
The CEC, during its recent inspection of Pampa, Sannidhanam and Nilackal, had found many major constructions taken up by the HPC in the Sabarimala forests were in violation of the master plan guidelines as well as the Forest Conservation Act.
Absence of an eco-friendly development perspective and a comprehensive layout plan has been the main problem facing the base camp development at Nilackal as envisaged in the master plan, said N.K. Sukumaran Nair, general secretary, Pampa Parirakshana Samithi (PPS).
The CEC’s report said ‘‘the civil construction works approved by the Union Ministry of Tourism and the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) at Nilackal cannot be part of the master plan without a layout plan.’’
The CEC report said the buildings situated on the Pampa riverbed which were damaged in the 2018 flood were constructed within 50 metres from the river bank against the recommendation given in the master plan. These buildings have been responsible for blocking the flow of flood waters during the peak rainy season resulting in heavy damage to the river banks.
The CEC also sought immediate intervention of the Supreme Court directing the TDB not to take up any civil construction, except works connected with water supply and sanitation, in any of the locations within the forest area.
The CEC sought the court’s intervention to check any repair or rectification work on all buildings located in the high flood water level of river Pampa that had been damaged in the August floods.
It also sought fixing of responsibility for permitting civil constructions within the 50-metre distance of the river banks and within the high flood level of the Pampa.
The HPC has miserably failed to ensure proper functioning of the ₹23-crore modern sewage treatment plant at Sabarimala even three years after its commissioning, Mr. Nair said.
