Excelsior Correspondent
REASI, Dec 24: Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board has become the first place of worship in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir to get food safety license as part of BHOG –Blissful Hygienic Offering to God, which aims at maintaining food safety and hygiene at worship places, mandated by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
The Food Safety Department has started implementing BHOG to ensure that safe and wholesome parsad/food is received by the devotees along with the blessing of Goddess in and around Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji Shrine. Shrine Board was registered under BHOG in the month of October and thereafter the officials of Food Safety Department carried out pre and post audits as a part of an initiative to issue BHOG certification of FSSAI to ensure hygiene and safety of ‘prasad’ and other food items served to devotees.
As part of the pre and post audit, inspections were carried out at various catering outlets of Shrine Board, Langar Kitchens and halls enroute track to Holy Shrine. The team also inspected the cooking process, storage and quality of food products. Cleanliness of the kitchens and vessels, standard of food products and water used for cooking were among the important aspects studied during the pre and post audit. Besides, cleaning, waste and sewage disposal systems were also checked.
The facilities and processes adopted during audits at various locations of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board were found to be good by and large on the basis of which BHOG certification and star ratings issued by the FSSAI based on the pre and post audits. Noteworthy is that the Langar at Tarakote Marg is verified “Five Star” in Hygiene rating.
Ramesh Kumar, Chief Executive Officer, SMVDSB attributed attaining of certification from FSSAI to all officers and officials in general and catering staff in particular. He also impressed upon them to work with utmost zeal and dedication for providing continuously improved facilities to the pilgrims visiting the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji Shrine.
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