THIRUVANATHAPURAM: Devaswom Board Minister Kadakampally Surendran on Monday said that the government would take the initiative to make Sabarimala temple area a plastic-free zone. At a review meeting here, the minister said that steps would be taken to check the use of plastic bottles in Sabarimala and adjoining areas.
A series of campaigns will be conducted throughout the year to create awareness among the devotees about the need to keep the area free of plastic and turn it environment-friendly. Since a large number of devotees came from Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, the state government in consultation with their counterparts in those states will launch similar awareness campaigns in these states.
The government will soon work out the details after holding discussions with the officials of the neighbouring states. The minister said that encroachments along the Pampa would be removed on a priority basis. A sewage treatment plant would be set up at Pampa besides a guest house to be constructed at Sannidhanam as part of the infrastructure facilities in the area.
