Kerala High Court slams government, warns of possible tragedy over Sabarimala crowd mismanagement
The Kerala High Court expressed disapproval towards the government's measures regarding crowd control at Sabarimala and forewarned of an impending calamity. The court questioned long virtual queues and the massing of people.
Aadrika Tayal 
New Delhi (India) November 19: On Wednesday, the Kerala High Court lashed out at the state government and Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB)saying if it does not come under control a tragedy would occur due to stampede.
Court questions government and TDB over poor crowd control
A Bench of justices observed that the preparations for Onam pilgrim season should have commenced six months back and inquired why the number of virtual queue slots were not coming down despite the evident congestion.
The court noted that even after spot booking, over 10,000 people made their way up the hill, adding to the number of people crowded inside and around the sanctum and the TDB itself admitted that was the case.
The Bench questioned, “What is the point of pushing devotees in and out? Should we insist on 80 people entering in a minute?” They added that no harmful incidents should happen due to mismanagement.
Calls for Accountability from Government and TDB
The High Court has called upon both the government and the TDB for details because of the startling neglect and ordered them to file their replies by Friday.
Echoing the court's sentiments was K Jayakumar, the recently appointed TDB chairman, who confessed that planning could have been undertaken six months in advance.
Opposition leader Satheesan blames indifference for pilgrims’ suffering
Leader of the Opposition, V.D. Satheesan stated that the United Democratic Front (UDF) Opposition would send a delegation to the Sabarimala temple to expose the problems experienced by the millions of pilgrims who travel to the Ayyappa temple during the busy Mandalam-Makaravilakku season.
Satheesan said that the TDB and the state government had acted with indifference towards the security, welfare, and opportunity of pilgrims to have a serene darshan.
He said, “Pilgrims had to turn back at Pampa as Sabarimala remained inaccessible due to shoddy crowd management. The TDB did not ensure that the pilgrims, stranded for hours in long queues, were given nourishment and water. Toilets lacked running water and hence, were unhygienic and patently impossible to use.”
Opposition attacks Police and Enforcement for Unsafe Conditions
Satheesan accused the police of creating a stampede environment in Sabarimala through careless crowd management, and said that law enforcement had failed to control the cultivating crowd which was directly guided into an unnecessary and dangerous pile up of pilgrims far beyond the full holding capacity there at Sabarimala.
This comes within nearly two lakh devotees flocking to the Sabarimala Ayyappa shrine in 48 hours after the temple opened on November 17, overwhelming the TDB and police in the massive crowds, many of whom were children on Tuesday.
