Pamba river gets filled with used clothes of Sabarimala pilgrims; Devaswom to take strong action

Sabarimala: Despite years of intervention by the Devaswom Board, efforts to clean the Pamba River of soiled and abandoned clothes left behind by pilgrims have failed to achieve the desired results, leaving the river polluted with cloth waste. After taking a dip in the river so many pilgrims leave their clothes in the river. It is said that, this is usually done by pilgrims who return after their darshan at the temple. 

The Devaswom Board gave contract to remove clothes from the river to  Thiruvananthapuram-based Harihara Constructions. Within the last ten days of this season alone, an entire truckload of clothes has been collected from the Pamba River, according to a contractor's employee. Each day, at least a thousand items, including mundus and shawls, are retrieved from the river.

Some pilgrims, particularly those from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka, mistakenly believe that abandoning clothes in the river is a ritual. Around 30 workers are engaged in removing these clothes at Pamba. The collected clothes are taken to Erumeli, dried, and later handed over to a company in Chennai.

The Devaswom Board has previously campaigned in multiple languages, including messages from the Thantri, clarifying that leaving clothes in the Pamba River is not a ritual at Sabarimala. Boards have been installed, urging pilgrims not to pollute the river with discarded clothes, and notices have been issued in various languages. Although this practice has reduced to some extent, the Devaswom Board has been unable to completely eliminate it. 

To address this issue, letters were sent a month ago to the Devaswom Ministers, Chief Secretaries and PRD departments of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, requesting them to raise awareness among pilgrims, said PS Prashanth, President, Travancore Devaswom Board. Instructions were also given to Tamil and Kannada regional newspapers. Awareness campaigns would be intensified, he said. 

In light of the situation going uncontrolled, despite rigorous campaigns, measures such as imposing fines should also be considered, said Kandararu Rajeevaru, Thantri of Sabarimala temple.