Pathanamthitta: A significant quantity of Aravana, which is worth Rs 6.65 crore, is now damaged at Sannidhanam in Sabarimala. The Travancore Devaswom Board is trying to figure it out. Even though the Mandalam period is approaching, the government and the board haven’t reached a solution yet. Also, they cannot store the new Aravana tins until the old ones are replaced.
The board lost Rs 6.65 crore because of the damaged stock. The Forest and Environment Departments don’t want to throw away the Aravana in the Sabarimala forest because it might cause more problems with the environment.
The Devaswom Board contends that recycling the tins by relocating them from Sannidhanam and pouring the Aravana elsewhere is a complex task. The Devaswom Board is requesting that the government bear the cost of destroying the Aravana and seek compensation from the contractor who has taken the matter to court.
Presently, the damaged Aravana is stored near the old Annadanam Mandapam in Malikpuram, while new stock is being collected at various locations. The Sabarimala facility is capable of producing up to two lakh tins of Aravana daily and is currently operating at just over half its capacity.
The Supreme Court had earlier permitted the destruction of cardamom added to Aravana, finding it contained a significant amount of pesticide. The High Court had initially banned Aravana due to complaints about the toxicity of the cardamom supplied by contractors to Sabarimala. Subsequent inspections revealed that the pesticide content in Aravana was within permissible limits.
However, by the time legal proceedings concluded, the Aravana had expired, making it unsuitable for consumption. Two weeks ago, the Supreme Court granted permission to dispose of the damaged Aravana. Discussions at the government level regarding this issue are anticipated in the coming days.
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