Sanitation still an unsolved issue at Erumely

People residing in and around Erumely town, try to avoid consuming food or water from shops here during the pilgrimage season.
 This isn’t part of any ritual, but it is due to the fear of getting imparted with various contagious diseases by the poor sanitation and waste management facilities available here.
 With just a few hours left for the sacred place to be strewn with the chanting of ‘Swamy Saranam’ mantras, the officials of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), local bodies and other departments are yet to find remedies for various issues including, sanitation, waste management and disposal, better ablution facilities among other basic amenities here.
 It is evident that the first few days of Mandala- Makara Vilakku season in Erumely will be a tough time for devotees as the auctioning of shops, ablutions and parking area just concluded on Tuesday.
 It is estimated that about 2 crore Ayyappa devotees visit Erumely each season to take blessings from Vavar Swami and perform ‘Petta Thullal’- a ritual to commemorate Ayyappa’s victory against demon Mahishi.
 The authorities have not yet found a scientific arrangements for disposing the tonnes of waste left by the people after the celebrations.
 The lone incinerator, which was installed by Erumely grama panchayat around 10 years ago, is not at all functional now.
 Failing to find any alternative, now the authorities concerned are burying the waste in the forest area at Kanakappalam a few kilometres away from the town.
 The major hurdle before the devotees will be the delay in setting up of the shops, ablutions and parking facilities here.
 While the auctioning of 275 latrines and bathrooms and parking area was held hardly two weeks ago, auctioning of around 56 plots for erecting temporary shops, which includes hotels, studios tea and snacks shops, was completed very late on Tuesday.
 “The cleaning process of latrines and bathrooms are yet to be started.
 Moreover, the unhygienic and old ablutions here are unhealthy,” said Aniyan Erumeli, social activist and the Erumeli unit president of Akhila Bharatha Ayyappa Seva Sangham.