Kerala High Court calls for action against private firm which offered helicopter service to Sabarimala without permit

In a special sitting convened on Saturday, the Kerala High Court barred a private civil aviation firm from offering Helicopter services to Sabarimala pilgrims and called for the concerned authorities to take immediate action against firms trying to offer such services..A division bench of Justices Anil K Narendran and PG Ajithkumar noted that the temple, which sees an enormous amount of footfall in the ongoing Mangala Makaravilakku festival season, is situated in a difficult forest terrain prone to natural disasters. It further noted that Sabarimala was also declared a Special Security Zone by the State government through a recent order to enable the Police to ensure a safe, secure and hassle-free pilgrimage during the festival season.However, it found that a Limited Liability Partnership called Enhance Aviation Services Ltd. was offering Helicopter service packages to Nilakkal, Sabarimala, without obtaining necessary permissions from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the District Administration, the District Police, or the Travancore Devaswom Board.The bench, therefore, directed the Devaswom Board to inform pilgrims through its virtual-Q platform that no tour operator in the aviation sector has been granted permission for helicopter facilities at Nilakkal, for the time being.The aviation service firm was also directed to publish the same on its website, 'helikerala.com'.The Court passed the order on the proceedings it had initiated suo motu, based on some news reports regarding the helicopter services that were supposedly being offered by the firm.The matter was first taken up on Friday when the government pleader and the counsel for the Devaswom Board informed it that they were neither aware of any such facilities nor had granted any permissions to the concerned firm.The Court had then posted the case for consideration on Saturday.At the special sitting convened on Saturday, the Court noted that the counsel for the firm was unable explain the circumstances in which a misleading advertisement was released by it regarding ‘Sabarimala Ayyappa Darshan Helicopter Service Package’, which is inclusive of darshan, dolly service, taxi service from Nilakkal to Pamba, etc.He further submitted that the firm will no longer be proceeding with the service.While the Court recorded this undertaking, it made it clear that it would not absolve the firm from being proceeded against in accordance with law.The Court directed the Devaswom Board, District Colelctor, and District Police Chief to submit action taken reports on the issue. It also directed the Deputy Solicitor General of India to get necessary instructions from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, on the operation of helicopter services in an area which is notified as a Special Security Zone..The Court will take up the matter again on Monday, September 21..[Read Order]