Excelsior Correspondent
GANDERBAL, June 27: A meeting of members of Shri Amarnath Barfani Langars Organisation (SABLO) led by its president, Rajan Gupta was held with Hashmat Ali Yatoo, the Commissioner of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other officials of Food and Drug Administration at Baltal Base Camp, today.
The Commissioner of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) informed that ahead of the annual Shri AmarnathJi Yatra, the administration is ensuring that hygienic and quality food is available during the yatra to the people, particularly the yatris. The Food Safety Department entrusted with this responsibility has asked all the Langar operators, food establishments, and shopkeepers to register themselves with the Department ahead of the yatra and ensure quality and hygienic food during the yatra.
Officials said that the Commissioner of FDA, Hashmat Ali Yatoo along with the Joint Commissioner of Food Safety, Sanjeev Kumar, and Designated Officer Food Safety Ganderbal and Baltal, Fayaz Ahmed met SABLO members and apprised Bhandara owners about the Supreme Court’s guidelines while operating community kitchens and providing food to yatris.
They urged the service providers to ensure a hygienic environment and quality food and adhere to the guidelines of the Supreme Court, Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), and the J&K administration. Ahmad said that awareness programmes were being conducted among the Langar operators so that safe food is provided to the yatris.
The SASB banned various food items, mostly junk, fried, oily and greasy food during the Amarnath Yatra to ensure the safety and good health of the yatris.”Daily we inspected free langars, monitor hygiene, sanitation, and other requirements needed under the provisions of Food Safety and Standards Act 2006,” Ahmad said. He said that every year routine samples are being lifted from food and business establishments to check their quality as well as the standards under the act.
Rajan Gupta, president SABLO said that the meeting was convened to aware the Bhandara Organisations about the guidelines and processes to function and run their services. He demanded and urged that no Bhandara should be harassed in the name of inspection of food items (Food Safety). The attitude and behaviour of officials and the Food Safety Department should be educational, motivational, inspirational, cordial, friendly, supportive, cooperative, informative and handholding as the Bhandara organisations are rendering free food, Bhandara and community kitchen services philanthropically out of religious faith carrying the centuries old Sanatana Dharma Tradition and Custom from many decades and are not engaged in any sort of commercial activity in any manner whatsoever.
Yatoo and other officials present assured that the Bhandara organizations will not be harassed but urged that Bhandara operators are required to maintain hygiene in their kitchens and advised that before purchasing expiry date of food items should be checked.
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