Temple staff prepare the main offering, “rote,” using wheat, sugar, and ghee or vegetable oil, for devotees visiting the shrine at Chakmoh village in Hamirpur. With an annual footfall of 50-75 lakh devotees, the temple trust has managed the canteen since its inception.

Complaints Lead to Food Safety Action

Responding to complaints about the quality of the “rote,” the food safety department collected samples for testing and found the prasad unsuitable for consumption.“We have closed the canteen of which the samples have failed. We are in the process of outsourcing the canteen and have also started a tender process. The services of the staff deployed at the canteen will be held at other places in the temple,” said Barsar sub-divisional magistrate Rajendra Gautam, chairperson of the Baba Balak Nath temple trust.

Chief Minister Demands Strict Oversight

Awareness and Inspections to Prevent Violations

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu requested detailed test results and directed district authorities to ensure the serving of high-quality “rote” to devotees. The food safety department also tested samples from nearby shops, with some found to be substandard.

Source: Hindustan Times