Punyam Poonkavanam returns to Sabarimala after senior IPS officer P. Vijayan gets clean chit
The Kerala government has cleared senior IPS officer P. Vijayan of all allegations regarding the 'Punyam Poonkavanam' project, allowing the community-led cleanliness initiative at Sabarimala to resume. The project, which was shelved three years ago following inquiries into fund management, will now be revived under Vijayan's leadership for the upcoming pilgrimage season.
Why it matters
The revival of this large-scale volunteer movement marks a significant shift in the management of sanitation at the Sabarimala pilgrimage site, restoring a project previously recognized under the national Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.
Nearly three years after it was shelved, Punyam Poonkavanam , the Kerala Police’s flagship initiative to keep the Sabarimala pilgrimage zone clean, is set for a comeback.
In a significant development, the State Home Department has exonerated P. Vijayan, Additional Director General of Police (Law & Order) and former nodal officer of the Punyam Poonkavanam project, of all allegations levelled against him in an inquiry into the scheme. The government has also instructed the official to revive and continue the project.
The decision comes shortly after the State government appointed Mr. Vijayan as the Chief Police Coordinator for the upcoming Sabarimala pilgrimage season.
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