All ingredients entering Puri Jagannath Temple's kitchen to be checked
What's the story
The Odisha government and the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) have announced plans for regular quality checks at the Puri Srimandir. This decision comes in the wake of a controversy surrounding allegations that ghee containing animal fats were used to prepare laddus offered as prasad at the Tirupati Temple. The primary focus of these inspections will be on mahaprasad and ghee used in the temple's kitchen.
Inspection plan
Quality checks to ensure purity of temple offerings
Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan stated that all items would undergo a quality check before entering the temple's kitchen and again when mahaprasad is prepared. "Food inspectors will be appointed so that the allegations which are coming up at other temples are not reported from Puri Jagannath temple," he said. He assured that there is no impurity in Lord Jagannath's mahaprasad and it will never happen.
Staff deployment
Health department urged to provide food inspectors
The health department has been asked to provide food inspectors for these checks, with appointments expected soon. "Already, ex-servicemen have been appointed and deployed at Ananda bazaar," he said. "The move is aimed at avoiding any controversy as is being reported from other states while sustaining the purity of Mahaprasad and faith of millions of Lord Jagannath devotees," Harichandan said.