Government Shifts Sabarimala Scrap Collection to Clean Kerala Company Amid Irregularity Allegations
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has decided to transfer the collection and sale of scrap materials from Sabarimala, Pamba and Nilakkal to Clean Kerala Company, following allegations of irregularities in the previous auction system.
Under the new arrangement, 70% of the revenue generated from scrap sales will go to the Travancore Devaswom Board, while Clean Kerala Company will receive the remaining 30%. The government issued an order to this effect on Tuesday, effectively removing private contractors from the scrap collection and sale process.
Scrap iron alone had generated an average of around ₹50 lakh annually through auctions. Previously, the Devaswom Board's engineering wing invited quotations rather than conducting e-tenders and awarded the contracts to private contractors.
There were allegations that regular contractors secured the contracts by quoting low amounts and that some Devaswom employees were also allegedly involved in sharing the profits. These allegations prompted the Board to examine the existing system and consider an alternative mechanism.
50,000 kg of Scrap at Pamba
This year, around 50,000 kg of scrap material from Pamba was initially put up for auction. After the Board's administrative committee took note of the allegations surrounding the process, it decided to entrust the collection to Clean Kerala Company. An MoU was subsequently signed for the arrangement.
However, the implementation faced an immediate dispute.
On September 7, when a Clean Kerala Company lorry arrived at Pamba to collect the first consignment, the Devaswom engineering wing reportedly objected, stating that there was no government order formally authorising the company to take over scrap collection.
The scrap that had already been loaded onto the vehicle was subsequently unloaded. A function planned to be inaugurated by TDB President K. Jayakumar was also cancelled.
Auction Later Finalised at ₹26 Lakh
Following the dispute, the engineering wing invited fresh quotations for the scrap auction. The earnest money deposit was fixed at ₹26,000, while the base price was set at ₹13 lakh. The auction was subsequently finalised at ₹26 lakh on Monday.
At Nilakkal, the scrap collection contract was awarded for ₹15 lakh.
The developments were brought to the government's attention by the Devaswom Board. Following this, the government issued the order formalising the Clean Kerala Company arrangement and removing private contractors from the scrap collection and sale process.
The new system is intended to bring greater transparency to scrap disposal at the Sabarimala pilgrimage centres and ensure a larger share of the revenue reaches the Devaswom Board.