Ensure quality of food at Sabarimala: High Court

Mandala-Makaravilakku season to begin soon

October 25, 2014 04:49 am | Updated May 23, 2016 04:52 pm IST - KOCHI:

A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Friday directed the Commissioner of Food Safety to ensure that the directives given by it for supplying quality food at Sabarimala were scrupulously implemented during the coming Mandala-Makaravilakku season.

The Bench, comprising Justice P.N. Ravindran and Justice P.B. Suresh Kumar, issued the directive on a report filed by K. Babu, Special Commissioner, Sabarimala.

The Commissioner sought strict vigil over the food to be supplied at Sabarimala and the preparation of Aravana and Appam, and wanted the godowns at Pampa and Sabarimala where the ingredients for the prasadam are stocked to be maintained spick and span.

When the report came up before the Bench, the Government Pleader submitted that instruction had been issued to maintain properly the godowns at Pampa and Sabarimala.

The Food Safety Commissioner had asked the Assistant Commissioner, Food Safety, Pathanamthitta, to conduct frequent inspections at the godowns and food establishments across the State from November, he said. A Food Safety Laboratory had been set up at Sabarimala. Besides, special squads under the Commissioner would start functioning at Sannidhanam, Pampa, Outer Pampa, and Erumeli from November 15 to ensure supply of quality food.

All the towns en route to Sabarimala would also be under the scanner of the food safety officials.

The government pleader informed the court that the jaggery, raisin, sugar, candy, and honey stored in the godowns at Pampa and Sabarimala were found unfit for use in the preparation of Appam and Aravana. The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) had been asked to return jaggery weighing 5 lakh kg and other ingredients stored in the godowns to the suppliers.

The Food Safety Commissioner pointed out that the godowns were constructed unscientifically.

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.