Forest department officials on Sunday blocked Kumily panchayat’s attempt to set up temporary toilets for Sabarimala pilgrims near Holiday Home at Kumily in Idukki.
The city serves as a major transit point for Sabarimala pilgrims traveling from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Puducherry.
According to Kumily panchayat secretary R. Ashok Kumar, hundreds of pilgrims spend the night at the Sree Dharma Shasta temple near the town during the pilgrimage season. “During an all-party meeting held before the start of the season, there was a public demand for temporary toilets. As a result, the temple authorities asked District Collector Dineshan Cheruvatta, who then directed the panchayat to install the facility,” Mr. Kumar said.
The secretary added that a copy of the collector’s order has been sent to the Deputy Director of Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR) East. Following these instructions, the panchayat called for bids and alerted the forest department. “However, the forest department did not respond to the letter,” the official said.
On Sunday, when the panchayat authorities and the contractor arrived to start installing the temporary toilets, a team of the forest department led by Thekkady Range Officer intervened. “The officer reportedly referred to the Supreme Court directive that restricts construction activities in forest lands. However, he did not issue any order,” the official said.
“The panchayat has started this work on the instructions of the Collector and we have already submitted a report to the Collector about the intervention of the forest department,” said Mr. Kumar.
“The nearest public toilet is a km away, leading many pilgrims to resort to open defecation near the temple and forest borders. The toilets were supposed to remain there till January 15. Further action will depend on the instructions of the Collector.” said Mr. Kumar.
Meanwhile, the PTR Deputy Director refused to comment and the Thekkady Range Officer remained available for comment.
Published – 21 Dec 2025 20:00 IST
