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With the Mandala-Makaravilakku season at Sabarimala just a week away, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) is turning to Milma once again to secure critical ghee supplies. This emergency move follows two unsuccessful rounds of tendering where the board failed to attract eligible bidders for the procurement of 50,000 litres of ghee.
Although Milma did not participate in the formal tender process, the TDB has initiated high-level discussions with officials from the Milma Thiruvananthapuram Regional Cooperative Milk Producers' Union. TDB President K. Jayakumar stated that a final decision on procuring ghee from the cooperative for Aravana production is pending, as the board seeks legal counsel to ensure compliance before formalising the arrangement.
Despite the procurement hurdles, Mr. Jayakumar clarified that the anticipated shortfall at the start of the season is approximately 10,000 litres, suggesting no immediate threat to availability. While ghee supplies are expected to surge following the temple's opening on November 16, the current deficit could temporarily slow production. Currently, the board maintains a stock of 3 million tins of Aravana and is finalizing logistics to produce 350,000 tins daily during the peak period.
'We are planning to produce another 3 million tins in the coming days, and Appam production will also commence on a strict schedule,' noted Mr. Jayakumar. The potential return of Milma as a primary supplier occurs against the backdrop of an active investigation by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB). Last season, a probe revealed that a transport contractor had diverted 11,000 kg of genuine Milma ghee, replacing it with an inferior, spurious product.
Parallel to supply concerns, the deadline for preparatory infrastructure works, including road maintenance and facilities at the Sannidhanam and Nilackal, expires this Tuesday. While the TDB maintains that preparations are complete, reports indicate that several key reconstruction projects remain unfinished and may require an additional week for completion.
Source: The Hindu