Forest dept’s objectionMr. Satheesan said no project work outside the proposed master plan was permitted at Sabarimala. The TDB had remitted ₹7,00,878 on 28-10-2013 for felling the trees, Mr. Basanthkumar said. TDB chargeThe TDB engineers said the Forest officer’s letter questioning the Annadana Mandapam project comes at a time when the HPC and the board were making hectic efforts to complete the work well before the beginning of the annual pilgrim season in November. This avoidable “delaying tactics” by the Forest Department would scuttle the government’s efforts to ensure better pilgrim amenities at Sabarimala, they said. TDB Chief Engineer G. Muraleekrishnan has called for immediate intervention of the Chief Minister, Devaswom Minister and the Forest Minister to address the problem at the earliest.

Source: The Hindu June 29, 2017 18:00 UTC