Revenue Minister A P Anilkumar has directed all departments to work in a coordinated and responsible manner to ensure a safe and smooth journey and the best service experience for devotees visiting Sabarimala. He was speaking at a review meeting of the Revenue Department held in connection with the Sabarimala pilgrimage.
The aim of the review meetings is to take steps to avoid shortcomings in advance rather than to fix them after they occur. There should be no lapse in Sabarimala, a major pilgrimage center that attracts the attention of the country. The preparations have been assessed in the meeting held at the venue under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister and in various review meetings already held under the leadership of the District Collector.
The steps taken by various departments so far were explained in the meeting. Inadequate funding has been noticed in the activities of the Local Self-Government Department. Steps are also being taken to resolve some technical obstacles from the Forest Department regarding road renovation. The Minister specially congratulated the District Collector and ADM for their excellent leadership in coordinating the activities of various departments by convening several meetings.
Special attention to cleanliness
The minister said that one of the most important issues related to the Sabarimala pilgrimage is cleanliness in Pampa and the surrounding areas. A widespread awareness campaign should be conducted to avoid the trend of leaving clothes in the river as part of the ritual in Pampa. The message should be conveyed to the pilgrims that this is not part of the ritual of Kerala. Since habits that have been going on for years cannot be changed quickly, a special system should also be prepared for the timely removal of discarded clothes. The minister directed that exemplary achievements in cleanliness activities be achieved this year and that local self-government bodies should pay special attention in this regard.
Electric vehicle charging facility in Nilakkal too
The minister pointed out that the existing charging facilities are not adequate in view of the increasing number of electric vehicles. Just one charging centre in Pampa will not be enough. A charging centre should also be set up in Nilakkal. At least two charging centres should be set up during this pilgrimage season to avoid the possibility of traffic congestion when many vehicles arrive at the same time. The minister also said that the infrastructure should be developed keeping in mind the future needs.
Multilingual announcements for pilgrims
Pilgrims coming from outside Kerala should be provided with necessary information in their own languages. The system of giving announcements in various languages should be expanded at Sannidhanam, Pampa and places where pilgrims gather in large numbers. The Minister also directed that the Devaswom Board should take steps to ensure that announcements are made in languages that pilgrims from other states understand, in addition to Malayalam.
Pilgrims should be ensured safety and satisfaction.
In case of accidents or other emergencies, assistance should be provided quickly to stranded pilgrims. Emergency assistance systems should be made efficient through coordination between departments including the police. Pilgrims should not face any difficulty in accessing basic facilities including drinking water.
Every pilgrim should be able to return with a sense of happiness and security through the services provided by various departments along with the spiritual satisfaction gained through the darshan. That should be the main measure of service excellence at the pilgrimage center. For this, all departments should ensure excellent service with a competitive spirit, the minister said.
The Minister also inaugurated the Sabari Portal, which was prepared in the special interest of the district administration. The portal has been set up to easily provide daily information and various services related to Sabarimala to the pilgrims. The Minister also directed that the portal should be updated in a timely manner to make it more useful for the people.
The Chief Minister’s directive to start preparations for the next pilgrimage season immediately after the current pilgrimage season ends should be implemented. The best results can be achieved only by learning from the experiences and improving the facilities every year. The Collectors of Pathanamthitta, Kottayam and Idukki districts and the Alappuzha district administration are making excellent preparations for the pilgrimage, the minister said.
The Minister appreciated the preparations made by various departments ahead of the pilgrimage.
Pazhakulam Madhu MLA, District Collectors A. Nizamuddin (Pathanamthitta), Dr. Dinesan Cheruvath (Idukki), Chethan Kumar Meena (Kottayam), Sabarimala ADM Dileep K Kainikkara, Pathanamthitta ADM M.R. Rajalakshmi, chairpersons of various local self-government institutions in the district, other public representatives, officials of various departments, etc. participated.
