PATHANAMTHITTA: The functioning of the Sabarimala Sanitation Society (SSS), which undertakes the task of cleaning operation at Sannidhanam, Pampa and important pilgrim transit centres of Erumely and Pandalam, will be streamlined with the overall objective of ensuring a healthy environment for the pilgrims during the forthcoming Mandalam-Makarvilaku season. District Collector and chairman of the Sabarimala Sanitation Society P Venugopal said that the working of the SSS would be revamped so that the crores of pilgrims who come for darsan would have a clean environment.For this, the number of SSS volunteers will be raised to 700 from the present strength of 600, Venugopal said. The Akhila Bharatha Ayyappa Seva Sangham (ABASS), which annually recruits volunteers for the SSS, would be asked to raise the number of volunteers for the coming season, he said.The monetary benefits of the SSS would also be increased during the coming season, Venugopal said.The quantum of increase in the wages would be decided only after holding discussions with ABASS and others concerned, he said.Plastic removal to be given thrust: Venugopal said that the Society would give thrust on implementation of plastic ban at Sabarimala effective and fool-proof during the forthcoming season.For achieving this objective, the deployment of the SSS volunteers would be made four or five days before the beginning of the Mandalam season so that the plastic waste accrued at Sannidhanam, trekking path, Pampa and Nilackal could be collected, Venugopal said.The Collector said that to achieve the objective of clean environment at the hill shrine, special task force would be deployed to monitor the working of the SSS volunteers. Periodic review meetings would be held to assess the functioning of the volunteers deployed at Sannidhanam, Pampa, Nilackal, Erumley and Pampa, Venugopal said.In view of the expansion of the parking area for pilgrim vehicles at Nilackal, the strength of SSS volunteers would be raised in the coming season. The deployment of SSS volunteers at Erumely and Pandalam would also be increased in the forthcoming season, Venugopal said.Joint cleanliness drive with Forest Dept: Venugopal said that the district administration, in association with the Forest Department, had decided to launch a special drive to collect and store plastic items, including bottles and carry-bags, thrown on the sides of the road from Laha to Pampa. The Forest Department would rope in members of Vana Samrakshana Samithis for the purpose, he said. To chalk out the plan, he held discussions with the Ranni divisional forest officer the other day, Venugopal said.
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