Water supply to Sabarimala faces tariff hurdle ahead of season

As Sabarimala gears up for the annual pilgrimage season, a tariff tussle is brewing over the cost of supplying water to the hill shrine and its base camp at Nilakkal.

In a report submitted to the special secretary of the Water Resources department, the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) has recommended rejecting the Travancore Devaswom Board’s (TDB) demand for a special tariff, arguing that treating Sabarimala as a bulk consumer would be legally and financially untenable. It has instead sought to retain the connections under the Non-Domestic category at the existing rate of ₹54.1 per 1,000 litres.