Restriction on women trekking to Agastyakoodam withdrawn

Thiruvananthapuram: The government has withdrawn restriction on women from joining the trekking programme under the Forest Department to Agastyakoodam (Agastya peak).

Forest Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan gave the directive to the Department in this respect against the background of media reports about the discrimination and Supreme Court observation that there was no legal ground for keeping women away from Sabarimala. However, the Forest Department is yet to remove the condition that trekking is limited to male applicants from the Website for online booking.

Forest Department was objecting to women joining trekking/pilgrimage to the peak citing security and other reasons. It had introduced officially guided trekking programme following vandalism by people visiting the peak. Many people were also visiting the peak as a pilgrimage before Sivarathri. The peak has a statue of Sage Agastya.

The High Court had imposed restrictions on people visiting the peak in a case filed by CPI legislator K. V. Surendranath in the eighties. These are not being followed fully.

Earlier report:Forest Department denies entry to women at Agastya peak