Food Safety Deptt to ensure hygienic food during Amarnath Yatra

Ganderbal, June 26: Ahead of the annual Amarnath Yatra that will start on June 29, 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 owners, 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 Food and Drug Administration (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 the President of the Langar Association Baltal, Rajan Gupta and apprised him about the Supreme Court’s guidelines while operating community kitchens and providing food to yatris.

The Food Safety Department officials 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.

Food Safety Officer Baltal, Fayaz Ahmad told Greater Kashmir that the meeting was convened to aware the service providers, particularly community kitchen operators and shopkeepers about the guidelines and processes to function and run their services.

“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.

Ahmad said that awareness programmes were being conducted among the Langar operators so that safe food is provided to the yatris.

Last year, the SASB banned various food items, mostly junk food, during the Amarnath Yatra to ensure the safety and good health of the yatris.