The Kerala High Court on January 27, 2026 restored suo motu proceedings concerning pollution of the Pamba river after being informed that heaps of clothes discarded by Sabarimala pilgrims continue to remain along the riverbanks despite earlier court directions for their removal. The bench of Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice K V Jayakumar was hearing a Sabarimala Special Commissioner Report that highlighted serious lapses in clearing clothes and waste dumped into the river during the pilgrimage season. Court noted that the proceedings had originally been initiated based on alarming findings regarding the accumulation of discarded clothes along the banks of the Pamba river, a sacred water body closely associated with the Sabarimala pilgrimage. Emphasising that it could not remain a silent spectator to the continuing degradation of the Pamba river, particularly after the pilgrimage season had concluded, court said the inter-seasonal period should be used for restoration and rejuvenation of the river. Case Title: Suo Motu vs. State of Kerala and OthersOrder Date: January 27, 2026Bench: Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice K V Jayakumar