The Mata Amritanandamayi Math (MAM) will deploy 1,500 ‘AmalaBharatam’ sanitation volunteers for carrying out a two-day pre-pilgrim season cleaning drive at Sabarimala and Pampa on November 1 and 2.

MAM has been an active participant in the intensive cleaning operation planned by the State government at Sabarimala for the past three years. Sabarimala is the one of the largest Hindu pilgrimage center located in the Western Ghat mountain ranges of Kerala. The Sabarimala temple, surrounded by mountains and dense forest, dedicated to Lord Ayyappa, is open to all faiths. Millions of devotees visit this temple every year strictly observing 41 days of vow and celibacy.

The volunteers comprise residents of the Mata Amrtitanandamayi Ashrams and students of various Amrita educational institutions attached to Amrita University.

The MAM used to deploy 3,000 to 4,000 volunteers in the previous years. The reduction in their number, this year, was due to the reduction in the quantity of waste accumulated at the pilgrim centre owing to the periodic cleaning drive carried out during the past years.

TheAmalaBharatam volunteers would carry out the cleaning drive from Sannidhanam to Pampa on November 1 and along the Pampa-Laha stretch on November 2.

The volunteers would also clear plastic waste from the forests on either side of the Laha-Pampa stretch of the main trunk road leading to Sabarimala. The ABC volunteers in uniform would bring gloves and various other implements required for waste collection and cleaning at the pilgrim centre.

The Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi, would open temporary healthcare units at Pampa and Sannidhanam with ambulance facility in the service of the volunteers engaged in the cleaning drive.

Women inmates at the Ashram and girl students at various educational institutions of the Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham will also take part in the cleaning operation at Pampa.