Kerala: Fake' order on bhandaram' special officer appointment

ALAPPUZHA: Something is rotten in the  affairs of the Travancore Devaswom Board,  especially in the administration of the  Sabarimala temple this season.  While a tainted officer continues to serve as  ‘bhandaram’ (donation box)  special officer  at Sabarimala, the TDB has  issued an order appointing another person as special officer without his knowledge to accommodate the tainted one. Mr S. Reghunathan Nair,  an accused in a case regarding the disappearance of the  ornaments from Ambalappuzha Sreekrishna Swamy temple, was in charge of  Sabarimala ‘bhandaram’ even on Friday.

But an order  issued by the devaswom commissioner on November 17 says  Mr R. Sasikumar, assistant engineer, Muvattupuzha,  was appointed as ‘bhandaram’ special officer. But he says he has not yet received the  order and that he was currently at  Muvattupuzha. The order  signed by the deputy devaswom commissioner says that as part of Mandalam-Makaravilakku festival of Malayalam year 1193,  Mr V. Radhakrishna Pillai,  assistant engineer, chief engineer (general) office,  who was appointed as ‘bhandaram’ special officer, was replaced with Mr R. Sasikumar, assistant engineer, Muvattupuzha. 

The order also said Mr T.P. Syamkumar, a peon at the office of assistant devaswom commissioner, North Paravoor, had been replaced with Mr K. Santhosh, lascar, office of assistant engineer, Ettumanoor,  for the special duty at Pampa. It also cited the orders from the officer of the  devaswom commissioner on November 8 and October 25,  the   report  of chief engineer on November 13 and that of assistant commissioner, Paravoor,  on November 9.    

Mr Sasikumar expressed surprise over the order  and said, “I used to go  for  Sabarimala duty in the past. However, I have received no order  this year. I will check with the officer to know the truth,” he said.  Mr  Reghunathan Nair  had taken charge as  ‘bhandaram’ special officer  on November 16.  The officer has to ensure that the currency and coins reaching  the vault are sorted, counted and deposited in a bank the same day itself.  TDB president A. Padmakumar said that he was unaware of the order.   “The issue will be discussed in the analysis meeting on Friday,” he said.