The TTD at last has obtained a central licence from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) for both its famed laddu and the food which it distributes free among the devotees under the Nitya Annaprasadam scheme.
The TTD, which is equipped with a state-of-the-art laboratory to certify the quality of laddu and other ‘anna prasadams’ being prepared in the temple kitchen on a daily basis, did not have any central licence to run its kitchen. A Bengaluru-based activist, T. Narasimhamurthy filed a complaint with the FSSAI in July last alleging that laddus were being prepared in unhygienic surroundings. The presence of materials such as nuts, bolts and gutkha covers in some laddus sold to devotees pointed to this, he had alleged. Reacting strongly, the FSSAI directed the Central Licensing Authority in Chennai to inspect the temple kitchen and submit a detailed report. The authority made it clear that as laddu is a food item as defined under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, TTD should obtain the certificate.
The TTD, which initially took objection to the directive on the ground that allowing non-Srivaishnavites into the kitchen would hurt the sentiments of devotees, however changed its mind and applied for the licence last month. Talking to The Hindu the Deputy Executive Officer (Annadanam) Mr. Venugopal confirmed the receipt of the certificate for both laddu as well as ‘anna prasadam.’
Assistant Executive Officer (Potu) Ashok said the TTD had obtained the certificate in the month of August itself.
