The Kerala State Pollution Control Board has sought help from the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board to sensitise Ayyappa devotees from Andhra Pradesh about waste management and environmental protection during the upcoming Sabarimala pilgrimage season.
The 2026–27 Mandala-Makaravilakku season is scheduled to begin on November 17 and continue until January 20, 2027. The APPCB shared the environmental guidelines issued by the KSPCB for devotees from Andhra Pradesh on Saturday.
The guidelines cover Sannidhanam, Pamba, Nilakkal, Erumeli, forest areas and the hill routes used by pilgrims. The KSPCB has urged devotees to maintain cleanliness at these locations, protect the region’s natural ecosystem and biodiversity, and comply with directions issued by the Kerala High Court.
Devotees have been advised to avoid plastic items in their Irumudi and use eco-friendly alternatives. They have also been asked not to discard plastic or other waste along forest routes, on hills or in surrounding areas. The instructions call for wet and dry waste to be segregated, with biodegradable and non-biodegradable materials, including plastic, kept separate for disposal in designated bins.
The pollution-control boards have specifically cautioned pilgrims against throwing plastic and other waste into the Pamba river. Devotees have also been asked not to discard used clothes in the river or at Bhasmakulam. The directions place responsibility on visitors to prevent waste from entering water bodies and forest areas during the pilgrimage period.
The appeal reflects the administrative challenge of managing waste across a pilgrimage landscape that includes a temple complex, riverbank areas, forest routes, hill paths and temporary or seasonal facilities. Coordination between the pollution-control boards of Kerala and Andhra Pradesh is intended to communicate the guidelines to devotees before they travel to Sabarimala.
The KSPCB has appealed to Ayyappa devotees from Andhra Pradesh to help preserve the sanctity of Sabarimala, maintain the cleanliness of the Pamba river and protect the surrounding forest ecosystem during the season. The APPCB’s dissemination of the guidelines is the stated next step ahead of the pilgrimage’s November 17 opening.
