The Kerala High Court has intervened in a serious sanitation and maintenance issue at the Chottanikkara Temple, expressing concern over reports and visual evidence showing widespread filth, decay, and neglect within the temple premises. The case came before a Division Bench of the High Court after the Court took cognizance of a complaint alleging corruption and maladministration relating to the management and upkeep of the temple. In earlier hearings, the Court had already noted a significant lack of hygiene in various parts of the temple, prompting it to involve the Suchitwa Mission — a specialised technical arm of the government tasked with supporting local bodies in waste management, sanitation, and related environmental initiatives — to help address the deficiencies.
At the latest hearing, the Court examined photographs and materials submitted on record showing unhygienic conditions, particularly areas such as the temple kitchen and adjoining spaces where high standards of cleanliness are essential. The Court observed that the absence of basic sanitation infrastructure was glaring and wholly unacceptable, given the nature of the premises and the large number of devotees and visitors frequenting the site. It noted that such systemic deficiencies in maintenance posed potential environmental and public health hazards, which required immediate corrective action rather than mere administrative assurances.
A statement filed by the Chottanikkara Grama Panchayat confirmed that local health officials had conducted multiple inspections in November, and these inspections repeatedly exposed serious sanitation failures. Inspectors reported accumulated rubbish near waste disposal points and specific structures like the ‘Aanakottil’, along with leakage of contaminated wastewater into nearby areas and ponds, including the Yakshikulam. Based on these findings, authorities had issued notices under the relevant public health legislation to the Devaswom Board’s Assistant Commissioner, indicating the statutory concern regarding public hygiene standards.
During the hearing, the State informed the Court that certain funding mechanisms, such as the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) Phase II, do not extend to financing sanitation infrastructure within religious institutions, as those schemes are restricted to local bodies and households. The Court recorded this submission but emphasised that statutory funding limitations could not justify prolonged neglect of essential cleanliness requirements at a site of considerable religious importance and public use.
Consequently, the High Court directed the Executive Director of the Suchitwa Mission to depute two senior officers to carry out a comprehensive and scientific cleanliness audit of the entire temple premises. The Court instructed these officers to undertake a detailed evaluation and recommend concrete, implementable measures aimed at restoring and maintaining hygienic conditions on a sustained basis. It emphasised that the audit must not be superficial but should involve thorough assessment, including specifying exactly how identified deficiencies can be rectified and prevented in the future.
The Court also criticised the Temple Advisory Committee, which comprises numerous members, for allowing the premises to deteriorate under its oversight. It warned that if immediate corrective action was not taken on a war footing, further adverse judicial orders could be issued against the Devaswom officials and the Advisory Committee members. The matter has been listed for further consideration on a future date when the results of the audit and the progress made on implementing remedial measures will be reviewed. The High Court’s intervention signals its strong stance on public health and environmental standards at major religious institutions, insisting on accountability and sustained cleanliness rather than ad-hoc responses.
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