184 Officials to Monitor Sanitation, Food Safety and Public Facilities During Sabarimala Season
Pathanamthitta: A total of 184 officials and staff members from various government departments will be deployed at Sannidhanam, Pampa and Nilakkal during each duty block of the Sabarimala Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season 2026–27 to oversee sanitation, public health, food safety, enforcement activities and emergency management.
According to an official communication issued by the Pathanamthitta District Collector on October 26, the pilgrimage season will be divided into eight duty blocks, with officials assigned responsibilities during each block. Of the 184 personnel, 62 will be stationed at Nilakkal, 61 at Pampa and 61 at Sannidhanam.
The deployment includes 51 officials for the Sabarimala Joint Enforcement and Monitoring Squad (SJEMS), 50 Sanitation Monitoring Officers, 40 Integrated Control Room personnel, 27 Emergency Operations Centre personnel, seven Liaison Officers, six Deputy and Executive Magistrates and three Magistrate Office staff members.
Emergency Operations Centres will function round the clock at Sannidhanam, Pampa and Nilakkal under the coordination of the State and District Disaster Management Authorities. Hazard Analysts and temporarily recruited technical experts will support disaster management and emergency response activities.
Officials from the Revenue, Health, Food and Civil Supplies, Rural Development and Legal Metrology departments will participate in monitoring and enforcement activities under the supervision of the Sabarimala Additional District Magistrate, Duty Magistrates and Executive Magistrates.
Meanwhile, the District Collector has requested the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) to arrange adequate accommodation and nutritious food for around 190 officials and staff members during each duty block. Separate rooms have been requested for senior officials, while suitable accommodation, including dormitory facilities, should be provided for other personnel.
The Collector also highlighted accommodation-related complaints from previous pilgrimage seasons and urged the TDB to ensure proper facilities for officials working long hours at Sannidhanam, Pampa and Nilakkal.