The Kerala High Court appointed retired Justice VG Arun as chairperson of the Sabarimala master plan committee after a vacancy. The bench noted the committee’s functioning was affected due to absence of leadership following the former chairperson’s demise.
The Kerala High Court has named retired Justice VG Arun as chairperson of the high power committee responsible for implementing the Sabarimala master plan, following the death of former chairperson Justice S Siri Jagan on January 24.
A Division Bench comprising Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice KV Jayakumar issued the order, noting that the committee’s effectiveness had been impaired by the absence of a chairperson.
The Court said,
“The role of the Chairman of the High Power Committee, as envisaged in the orders of this Court dated 02.04.2009 and 30.08.2017, is central to and determinative of the entire implementation process of the Sabarimala Master Plan. The Chairman presides over all meetings of the Committee and exercises overall supervision and control over its functioning and the implementation of the Master Plan,”
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The bench observed that the chairperson is tasked with convening meetings, overseeing implementation, resolving inter-departmental disputes, maintaining financial discipline and serving as the vital link between the Court, the State government and the Travancore Devaswom Board.
Accordingly, appointing a new chairman was deemed necessary to restore the committee’s operational capacity and ensure uninterrupted progress on the Sabarimala master plan, the Bench added.
The Court added,
“Equally significant is the chairman’s obligation to safeguard the flora and fauna of the region and to ensure that no project undertaken compromises the ecological balance of the Periyar Tiger Reserve and the Western Ghats,”
The order arose from a case concerning execution of the Sabarimala master plan, a detailed strategy designed to manage the rising number of pilgrims visiting the Sabarimala temple while protecting the region’s sensitive ecology.
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Prepared under Supreme Court directions and approved by the State government in 2007, the plan addresses pilgrim safety, infrastructure development, waste management, traffic control, sanitation and disaster preparedness.
To supervise implementation, the court set up a high power committee in 2009, which was reconstituted in 2017 with Justice Jagan as chair. The committee was granted broad powers, including project supervision, departmental coordination, financial oversight and submission of regular reports to the Court.
The Court noted that the State had disbursed over Rs 390 crore for development work under the master plan. While many infrastructure projects were completed, some critical elements remain outstanding, notably parts of the pilgrim management system and queue complexes along trekking routes.
Referring to suo motu proceedings, the Court highlighted issues around crowd management, infrastructure shortfalls, sanitation, safety and institutional coordination that the committee must address.
In appointing the new chairperson, the Court directed the committee to take into account matters raised in earlier hearings to prevent overlap of functions.
Senior Government Pleader Rashmi KM represented the State. Standing Counsel G Biju appeared for the Travancore Devaswom Board, and Advocate Sayujya Radhakrishnan represented the high power committee.
Case Title: The High Power Committee for the implementation of the Sabarimala Master Plan v State of Kerala & ors.
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