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Thiruvananthapuram:As Kerala is slowly recovering from the shock of the Sabarimala stampede tragedy that claimed
102 lives, the state government and the temple board are facing criticism for neglect of the report of the panel that
probed the 1998 mishap and the proposals for developing alternate routes to check disasters recurring at the
hillshrine. The opposition parties and the Hindu outfits today alleged that the Pullumedu disaster could have been avoided if the
recommendations of the judicial probe into the 1998 tragedy have been implemented in right earnest.
On January 14, 1998, 52 pilgrims, mostly from Andhra Pradesh, were killed in a stampede at Pampa,the river-bank base camp
on the foothills of Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple. Justice Chandrasekhara Menon, who probed the tragedy, in his
report had suggested the need to provide basic amenities on the Pullumedu route, through which a large number of pilgrims
from Tamil Nadu pass up and down the shrine.
The report had pointed out that over 60 per cent of devotees coming to Sabarimala during the pilgrimage season are from
other states and this route provide them easy access to temple towns like Madurai on their return journey.
The panel also made a strong case for developing Vandiperiyar route through which at least 40 per cent of pilgrims could be
diverted to avoid huge rush and latent dangers along the Pampa route.
However, the report had made it clear without assuring basic facilities and security pilgrims should not be allowed to trek
through the Pullumedu route.
According VHP state general secretary Kummanam Rajasekharan the Government and the Travancore Deveswom Board (TDB) had been sleeping on the commission report all these years.
'The announcement of a judicial probe into yesterday's tragedy by Chief Minister is only a ritual. What is the use of such probes if the proposals made by the earlier one is totally neglected', Rajasekharan told PTI.
Senior Congress leader and former chief minister Oommen Chandy held that the government did not start the work on
a transit camp even though the land for such a facility had been identified five years back by the then UDF Government.
However, the report had made it clear that without assuring basic facilities and security, pilgrims should not be
allowed to trek through the Pullumedu route.
It suggested that only after creating facilities like resting places, vehicle parking, toilets, small eateries and shops and proper lighting the devotees be allowed to pass through the route.
The report also wanted the trekking path along the Pullumedu route to be widened at least by 4 meters and iron
railing to be erected on either side.
The report suggested that improvement of facilities should be in tune with Sabarimala Master Plan. All the panels that looked into problems of the hillshrine, surrounded by a dense forest, had suggested that the plans should be of long-term perspective taking into account the requirements at least for the next 25 years.
However, critics say that the master plan is virtually in cold storage and the TDB, which manages the shrine, is interested in putting up concrete structures in and around the temple, which neither serve the devotees nor environmentally feasible.
According to Hindu outfits, the government also turned a blind eye to intelligence reports suggesting deployment of
more police contingents for crowd control and security along Pullumedu route through which the pilgrim flow has been
increasing every year.
Both the UDF and LDF that ruled the state alternately did not bother to carry out these proposals, the VHP leader
said.
Reacting to the criticism, officials said that the government had constraints in developing Sabarimala like any
other major temple sites as the shrine is located in an ecologically sensitive spot in the Periyar Tiger Reserve.
A senior official, who did not wish to be identified, said the government was faing difficulty in developing the
Pullumedu route as it might harm the environment .
Once the route is developed it would become difficult to check flow of vehicles and human interference.
Pullumedu mostly comprises grasslands on the steps of the Western Ghats, a conducive habitat for tigers and
leopards.
The work of the Rs.1500 crore Sabariala Master plan, which could have changed the face of Sabrimala in terms of amenities
if implemented, is moving on a snail pace, Rajasekheran said.
The Sabarimala master plan envisaged to provide various amenities including putting up a rope-way was originally
scheduled to be completed in 2015. Only few crores of rupees were spent since the plan got approval in 2007, he pointed
out.
Even though a decision was taken way back in July last to complete 14 projects under the Master Plan within one year at
a meeting of Sabarimala Master Plan infrastructure Fund Trust, no progress has been made in any of the projects, he said.
It was also decided to raise private capital for implementing the project by orgainising Fund Raising convetions at
Hyderabad, Chennai and Bangalore. But nothing happened, he said.
Only tender process has started for constructing the Queue complex with drinking water facility and food stalls from
Marakootam to Saramkutti in Pampa route, he said. The Queue complex if completed could have provided a soultion to the
hardship faced by devotees trekking the pampa route,he said.
At present devotees have to wait for hours in queue without water and food to have darshan, he said.
The main hurdle for rope-way costruction was the non availability of forest land for the same, he said. Another
proposal to set up an alternative base camp at Nilackel was also progressing very slowly.
Centre had sanctioned a Pampa action plan for cleaning the rivr pampa way back in 2003 and sanction Rs.180 crores as
initial project cost.The nodel agency to implement the project, Kerala State Water Authority only constructed thee
check dams and two bathig ghats at the river, he said.
Besides, the master plan programme, Justice Paripoornan Commission that looked into the affairs of Sabarimala, also
had recommended 77 proposals in its report to improve the facilities for Ayyapp devotees.
However, even after many years, that report was also in cold storage, Rajasekheran said.
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102 lives, the state government and the temple board are facing criticism for neglect of the report of the panel that
probed the 1998 mishap and the proposals for developing alternate routes to check disasters recurring at the
hillshrine. The opposition parties and the Hindu outfits today alleged that the Pullumedu disaster could have been avoided if the
recommendations of the judicial probe into the 1998 tragedy have been implemented in right earnest.
On January 14, 1998, 52 pilgrims, mostly from Andhra Pradesh, were killed in a stampede at Pampa,the river-bank base camp
on the foothills of Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple. Justice Chandrasekhara Menon, who probed the tragedy, in his
report had suggested the need to provide basic amenities on the Pullumedu route, through which a large number of pilgrims
from Tamil Nadu pass up and down the shrine.
The report had pointed out that over 60 per cent of devotees coming to Sabarimala during the pilgrimage season are from
other states and this route provide them easy access to temple towns like Madurai on their return journey.
The panel also made a strong case for developing Vandiperiyar route through which at least 40 per cent of pilgrims could be
diverted to avoid huge rush and latent dangers along the Pampa route.
However, the report had made it clear without assuring basic facilities and security pilgrims should not be allowed to trek
through the Pullumedu route.
According VHP state general secretary Kummanam Rajasekharan the Government and the Travancore Deveswom Board (TDB) had been sleeping on the commission report all these years.
'The announcement of a judicial probe into yesterday's tragedy by Chief Minister is only a ritual. What is the use of such probes if the proposals made by the earlier one is totally neglected', Rajasekharan told PTI.
Senior Congress leader and former chief minister Oommen Chandy held that the government did not start the work on
a transit camp even though the land for such a facility had been identified five years back by the then UDF Government.
However, the report had made it clear that without assuring basic facilities and security, pilgrims should not be
allowed to trek through the Pullumedu route.
It suggested that only after creating facilities like resting places, vehicle parking, toilets, small eateries and shops and proper lighting the devotees be allowed to pass through the route.
The report also wanted the trekking path along the Pullumedu route to be widened at least by 4 meters and iron
railing to be erected on either side.
The report suggested that improvement of facilities should be in tune with Sabarimala Master Plan. All the panels that looked into problems of the hillshrine, surrounded by a dense forest, had suggested that the plans should be of long-term perspective taking into account the requirements at least for the next 25 years.
However, critics say that the master plan is virtually in cold storage and the TDB, which manages the shrine, is interested in putting up concrete structures in and around the temple, which neither serve the devotees nor environmentally feasible.
According to Hindu outfits, the government also turned a blind eye to intelligence reports suggesting deployment of
more police contingents for crowd control and security along Pullumedu route through which the pilgrim flow has been
increasing every year.
Both the UDF and LDF that ruled the state alternately did not bother to carry out these proposals, the VHP leader
said.
Reacting to the criticism, officials said that the government had constraints in developing Sabarimala like any
other major temple sites as the shrine is located in an ecologically sensitive spot in the Periyar Tiger Reserve.
A senior official, who did not wish to be identified, said the government was faing difficulty in developing the
Pullumedu route as it might harm the environment .
Once the route is developed it would become difficult to check flow of vehicles and human interference.
Pullumedu mostly comprises grasslands on the steps of the Western Ghats, a conducive habitat for tigers and
leopards.
The work of the Rs.1500 crore Sabariala Master plan, which could have changed the face of Sabrimala in terms of amenities
if implemented, is moving on a snail pace, Rajasekheran said.
The Sabarimala master plan envisaged to provide various amenities including putting up a rope-way was originally
scheduled to be completed in 2015. Only few crores of rupees were spent since the plan got approval in 2007, he pointed
out.
Even though a decision was taken way back in July last to complete 14 projects under the Master Plan within one year at
a meeting of Sabarimala Master Plan infrastructure Fund Trust, no progress has been made in any of the projects, he said.
It was also decided to raise private capital for implementing the project by orgainising Fund Raising convetions at
Hyderabad, Chennai and Bangalore. But nothing happened, he said.
Only tender process has started for constructing the Queue complex with drinking water facility and food stalls from
Marakootam to Saramkutti in Pampa route, he said. The Queue complex if completed could have provided a soultion to the
hardship faced by devotees trekking the pampa route,he said.
At present devotees have to wait for hours in queue without water and food to have darshan, he said.
The main hurdle for rope-way costruction was the non availability of forest land for the same, he said. Another
proposal to set up an alternative base camp at Nilackel was also progressing very slowly.
Centre had sanctioned a Pampa action plan for cleaning the rivr pampa way back in 2003 and sanction Rs.180 crores as
initial project cost.The nodel agency to implement the project, Kerala State Water Authority only constructed thee
check dams and two bathig ghats at the river, he said.
Besides, the master plan programme, Justice Paripoornan Commission that looked into the affairs of Sabarimala, also
had recommended 77 proposals in its report to improve the facilities for Ayyapp devotees.
However, even after many years, that report was also in cold storage, Rajasekheran said.
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