JK News Today
Katra, December 24:
Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board becomes 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 alongwith the blessing of Goddess in and around Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji Shrine.
Shrine Board registered under BHOG (Blissful Hygienic Offering to God) 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 the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India 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.
In the Shrine, catering units are maintaining the storage rooms clean and free from rodents and cobwebs. Food products are being stored in containers with lids and the packed items are being checked for packing and expiry date. In addition, all food handlers are required to be medically certified for free from communicable diseases.
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 has congratulated all officers and officials in general and Catering staff in particular for attaining certification from FSSAI by extending their full cooperation in the whole exercise. He also impressed upon them to work with utmost zeal and dedication for providing continuously improving facilities to the pilgrims visiting the Holy Cave Shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji.
