ALAPPUZHA: Something is rotten in the affairs of the Travancore Devaswom Board, especially in the administration of the Sabarimala temple this season. While a tainted officer continues to serve as ‘bhandaram’ (donation box) special officer at Sabarimala, the TDB has issued an order appointing another person as special officer without his knowledge to accommodate the tainted one. Mr S. Reghunathan Nair, an accused in a case regarding the disappearance of the ornaments from Ambalappuzha Sreekrishna Swamy temple, was in charge of Sabarimala ‘bhandaram’ even on Friday.
But an order issued by the devaswom commissioner on November 17 says Mr R. Sasikumar, assistant engineer, Muvattupuzha, was appointed as ‘bhandaram’ special officer. But he says he has not yet received the order and that he was currently at Muvattupuzha. The order signed by the deputy devaswom commissioner says that as part of Mandalam-Makaravilakku festival of Malayalam year 1193, Mr V. Radhakrishna Pillai, assistant engineer, chief engineer (general) office, who was appointed as ‘bhandaram’ special officer, was replaced with Mr R. Sasikumar, assistant engineer, Muvattupuzha.
The order also said Mr T.P. Syamkumar, a peon at the office of assistant devaswom commissioner, North Paravoor, had been replaced with Mr K. Santhosh, lascar, office of assistant engineer, Ettumanoor, for the special duty at Pampa. It also cited the orders from the officer of the devaswom commissioner on November 8 and October 25, the report of chief engineer on November 13 and that of assistant commissioner, Paravoor, on November 9.
Mr Sasikumar expressed surprise over the order and said, “I used to go for Sabarimala duty in the past. However, I have received no order this year. I will check with the officer to know the truth,” he said. Mr Reghunathan Nair had taken charge as ‘bhandaram’ special officer on November 16. The officer has to ensure that the currency and coins reaching the vault are sorted, counted and deposited in a bank the same day itself. TDB president A. Padmakumar said that he was unaware of the order. “The issue will be discussed in the analysis meeting on Friday,” he said.
