Thiruvananthapuram: Miffed by delays in jaggery procurement and the failure to build an adequate buffer stock of aravana ahead of the upcoming Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season, the state government has pulled up the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB).

The shortage of aravana and appam, two key offerings at Sabarimala, when the temple opened for the Kanni month puja in September, has further irked the government. The delay in awarding the jaggery procurement contract has also saddled the Board with additional costs running into crores of rupees. Taking serious note of the lapses, the government has warned that it will intervene if the offering's distribution is disrupted during the pilgrimage season.

Devaswom Minister K Muraleedharan has conveyed his displeasure over the lapses to TDB president K Jayakumar. Following their discussions, the board agreed to expedite measures to ensure an uninterrupted supply of aravana throughout the pilgrimage season.

The board has also come under fire for suspending production at the aravana plant for renovation just as the temple opened for the Kanni month puja, without first building an adequate buffer stock. Despite knowing well in advance that the plant would require maintenance, it failed to make alternative arrangements to ensure an uninterrupted supply of prasadam to devotees.

The delay in procuring jaggery has compounded the problem. The tender process, which should have begun in May, was initiated only in August. Procedural lapses, the need to invite fresh bids and protracted price negotiations further delayed the finalisation of the contract, even as jaggery prices surged and the Mandala season drew closer.

The board will also foot the bill for transporting jaggery from Pampa to Sannidhanam this time.

Sabarimala season nears, but Erumeli unprepared
With barely a month left for the Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season to begin, preparations in Erumeli, a key base station for the hill shrine, are yet to gather pace. Though two preparatory meetings have been held under the chairmanship of Poonjar MLA M J Sebastian and Travancore Devaswom Board president K Jayakumar, work on the ground is yet to begin.

Barely 20 days before pilgrims start arriving, Erumeli looks set for another season of last-minute, makeshift arrangements.

The TDB had assured that the mound of earth piled up in the courtyard of its old school would be cleared to make way for a Fire and Rescue Services garage. However, the earth remains untouched.

The board had also promised to open the KIIFB-funded annadana mandapam to pilgrims after providing temporary water and lighting facilities. But work on these arrangements is yet to begin.

The directive to clear silt and waste from Valiya Thodu (stream), where pilgrims take a dip, remains unheeded. The Irrigation Department is also yet to begin work on temporary bunds at Valiya Thodu and several points along the Manimala river, including Orungal Kadavu.

A protective wall built by the National Highways Authority in front of a house at Kanamala on the Erumeli-Sabarimala highway has collapsed, but the debris remains uncleared. The house itself is at risk of sliding onto the road. Traffic snarls are already common along this stretch during monthly pujas.

Though the wall was built as part of the highway project, officials now want the house owners to rebuild it at their own expense. The soil that has spilt onto the road, too, is yet to be cleared.

The panchayat is yet to act on basic needs such as waste management. Grass has overrun the footpath opposite the temple, while renovation of the panchayat toilet complex at Orungal Kadavu, damaged in last season’s floods, is yet to begin.

Bridges and causeways remain unsafe, with key safety works still pending. Railings on the Orungal Kadavu and Mookkenpetti causeways were washed away in the last floods. Though the PWD Bridges wing had promised permanent replacements, work is yet to begin.

The police have also called for railings at these causeways to prevent accidents involving pilgrims' vehicles. The footbridge at Azhuthakadavu, too, remains without railings.

Malliyoor gears up for Sabarimala pilgrim rush
Malliyoor Mahaganapathy Temple, a key stopover for Sabarimala pilgrims, is geared up to welcome devotees with facilities for irumudi kettu, resting and parking.

The temple will arrange annadanam (free meals) and special pujas during the Mandala season, said Malliyoor Divakaran Namboothiri.