The ceremonial installation of the new temple mast on the Ayyappa temple premises at Sabarimala, replacing the old one, will be held only after the annual Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrim season that begins in November, Travancore Devaswom Board president Prayar Gopalakrishnan has said.
Talking to reporters here on Friday, Mr Gopalakrishnan said the teak wood brought from Konni forests for the holy mast would be treated with oil before the season began.
He said that TDB had also requested the Kerala High Court to appoint an advocate commission to monitor the holy mast installation ceremony.
Mr Gopalakrishnan said the defects of the modern sewage treatment plant at Sabarimala would be rectified soon so as to ensure its foolproof operation prior to the beginning of the pilgrim season.
He said the pollution of river Pampa could be considerably reduced, once the Rs.22-crore STP started functioning in its full capacity at the Sannidhanam.
Mr. Gopalakrishnan said the board had sought 500 acres of forest land for Sabarimala and the Union Minister for Forests and Environment had agreed to consider the demand. The Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, to had taken up the matter with the Union Ministry, he said.
Ramaraja Prema Prasad, Devaswom Commissioner; G. Muraleekrishnan, Chief Engineer; and Murali Kottackakom, public relations officer; were also present.
