With the closure of the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple after the 41-day Mandalam festival on Wednesday evening, authorities launched a massive cleaning drive in the pilgrimage zone on Thursday.
The drive is being carried jointly out by the Public Works department, Kerala Fire and Rescue Services department, and the Sabarimala Vishudhi Sena. Cleaning operations are being carried out at the Sannidhanam, holy 18 steps, Malikappuram, Vavarunada, Mahakanika, Aravana counter area, Papanthal and Queue Complex. The Sannidhanam and the holy 18 steps were washed clean.
More than 1,500 employees are engaged in the cleaning drive, which is progressing from Pampa to the Sannidhanam. Organic and inorganic waste were removed separately to the incinerators using tractors.
The pilgrim centre was left heavily littered with plastic and other waste during the pilgrimage season but the cleaning process had been hampered at the Sannidhanam owing to the unprecedented rush of devotees.
The authorities are now planning to clear the waste accumulated at Sabarimala, Pampa, and Nilackal in two days so that the pilgrim centre will be clean by the time the temple is reopened for the Makaravilakku festival on Saturday.
