Kerala High Court Directs Suchithwa Mission To Frame Sustainable Sanitation Plan For Chottanikkara Temple

A Division Bench comprising Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice K.V. Jayakumar was hearing suo motu proceedings where the Court had earlier flagged the unhygienic condition in the temple premises.

The Court had earlier ordered the Suchitwa Mission to conduct a Cleanliness Audit in the temple premises. The Standing Counsel for the Devaswom Board, submitted that officers of the Suchithwa Mission had already conducted an inspection of the temple premises pursuant to earlier directions. A detailed report of the inspection is scheduled to be filed before the court on January 21, 2026

The bench thus recalled that it had earlier found the surroundings of the temple to be in a “deplorable condition,” with plastic waste, food remnants and garbage scattered indiscriminately. The court also noted leakage of filthy water into a nearby pond used for ritualistic purposes, along with dysfunctional drains and pipelines, observing that the measures taken by temple authorities were wholly inadequate and posed serious environmental and sanitation concerns at a place of major religious significance

It thus directed the Mission to assess existing waste generation and disposal practices, design a scientific waste segregation system, recommend sustainable processing and disposal mechanisms, advise on adequate placement of bins and signage for pilgrims, and examine the sufficiency and placement of sewage disposal facilities and incinerators. The Mission was also asked to suggest institutional mechanisms to ensure continuous and permanent maintenance of hygiene, rather than ad hoc or seasonal measures

The Court emphasised that the objective should go beyond “cosmetic cleanliness.”

“The objective shall be not merely cosmetic cleanliness, but the establishment of a robust, sustainable, and permanently enforceable sanitation framework, befitting the stature of a major temple that attracts large numbers of devotees on a daily basis.” Court added

The matter has been posted for further consideration on January 21, 2026, after submission of the Suchithwa Mission's report which address the corrective, preventive and long term measures.

Case Title: Suo Motu v State of Kerala and Ors

Case No: DBP 52/ 2025

Counsel for Respondent: S Rajmohan (Sr. GP), K P Sudheer (SC - CDB), T Madhu, C R Saradamani, B S Suraj Krishna, Avanthika R, Karthik Krishna M, Arunima A R, T S Davis, Vineeth Komalachandran