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Supreme Court order on Sabari law to prove tough

A separate authority will mean the revenue from Sabarimala could be used only for development and administration of the Lord Ayyappa temple.

Kochi: The Supreme Court direction to Kerala to frame an exclusive law for administration of Sabarimala temple has caught the state government in a catch 22 situation with regard to the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB).

The constitution of an independent authority separately for the hill shrine on the lines of Guruvayur and Tirupati Tirumala Venkateswara temples will not only undermine the importance of TDB but also will affect very functioning of a majority of temples in the state. A separate authority will mean the revenue from Sabarimala could be used only for development and administration of the Lord Ayyappa temple.

“Sabarimala is the main revenue earning source of the TDB which is dependent on the funds to manage the affairs of a majority of other temples under it. Only 83 out of the total 1250 temples managed by the TDB have more annual revenue than the expenses incurred and the rest are “loss-making”. Out of it, just 18 comes under the high revenue-earning category,” sources said.

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