The Kerala government on Thursday declared the premises of Lord Ayyappa Temple at Sabarimala and its nearby areas as a "liquor and drꦗug-free zone" as the annual two-month-long Mandalam-Makaravilakku festival is just days away.
The annual festival, which used to att⛄ract millions of devotees from and outside the country to the hill shrine, begins on November 17 and concludes on January 15, 2023.
Besides the "Sannidhanam" (temple complex), Pamba, Triveni, Marakoottam, Sabari Peedam, and so on, severa𓄧l areas in Perinadu and Koಞllamula villages in Ranni taluk here were declared as the liquor and drug-free zones, official sources here said.
An order has been issued banning the consumption and sale💛 of alcohol, drugs, and tobacco products in these areas from November 14 to January 22, 2023, they said.
Pilgrims, vendors, and all other people entering Sabari⛎mala, Pamba, Nilakkal, and adjoining areas should be cautioܫus in this regard, they said.
Multilingual warning boards 💧have been installed in various locations about the prohibition of alcohol and other intoxicants.
Another government notification has been issued opening temporary range offices at Sannidhanam, Nilakkal, and Pamba in connection with the annua♛l festival.
Joint raids of police, excise, a𝕴nd forest officials are being carried out for the strict implementatiꦡon of the ban.
An excise control room based in Pamba would start functioning from November💦 14 under the aegis of Assistant Excise Commissioner, an official statement said.
