Ever since the gates of the Sabarimala Temple opened for the Makaravilakku pooja on November 16, one of the major concerns raised was the devastated condition of facilities in Sabarimala post the floods.

However, Kadakampally Surendran, the Devaswom Minister, after a review meeting of the Travancore Devaswom Board at the Sabarimala Sannidhanam told the media on Saturday that there is no problem regarding the basic facilities at Sabarimala.

Going in to the pilgrimage season and against the backdrop of the September 28 Supreme Court verdict allowing entry of women of all ages into the temple, there was much outrage against the state government for the urgency they showed in implementing the order. Leaders of both the UDF and the BJP blamed the Pinarayi Vijayan government for not considering issues such as lack of toilet facilities, availability of drinking water before allowing women to enter Sabarimala.

“I spoke to the devotees coming from various parts of south India, including elderly people and young children. It is important to note that not a single devotee has made any complaint about Sabarimala this pilgrimage season,” said Surendran.

Surendran said that he would like to invite the state Opposition leader, Ramesh Chennithala to come and visit the Sabarimala temple along with him and understand the situation there.

“The state government and the Devaswom Board are doing everything possible to help the devotees,” said Surendran.

The Devaswom minister stated that Kerala is coming out of a huge disaster which has caused immense loss to a lot of people. “Our society has a responsibility to bring up all those people who lost everything during the floods. Instead of discussing such issues at the legislative assembly, the opposition is trying to make narrow political gains using the Sabarimala issue,” he said.