Pune: FDA Enforces Strict Food Safety Inspections During Ashadhi Wari Palkhi Sohola
Pune: FDA Enforces Strict Food Safety Inspections During Ashadhi Wari Palkhi Sohola
FDA Enforces Strict Food Safety Inspections for Ashadhi Wari Pilgrimage
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is implementing stringent food inspection measures along the Ashadhi Wari route, departing from Dehu and Alandi in Pimpri-Chinchwad. A dedicated team has been deployed to inspect water bottles, prasad (sweets), and fried food items, ensuring compliance with food safety standards. The FDA will act as the nodal authority to oversee these measures.
FDA Joint Commissioner Suresh Annapure announced that strict actions would be taken against any violations. The Palkhi departure ceremony of Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj from Alandi and Sant Tukaram Maharaj from Dehu will be held on June 25. To ensure the health and safety of the devotees, Food Safety Officers have been appointed as Nodal Officers at 12 locations along the Palkhi route. An additional seven to eight officers will assist them, ensuring food safety from the Palkhi’s departure until it reaches Pandharpur.
The Palkhi route passes through the districts of Pune, Satara, and Solapur. FDA officials in these areas have been instructed to ensure food safety compliance. Food for Warkaris in Dindi and Palkhi is provided at various points by hotels, restaurants, NGOs, organizations, and food donation groups.
The FDA has mandated inspections for all shops, handcart vendors, and hotels along the route. The team will also work to prevent food poisoning by raising public awareness among food providers.
Street Food and Medicine Inspections
– **Registration:** Unregistered street food establishments must obtain proper registration or permission.
– **Water Bottles:** Labels on water bottles will be checked for compliance with packaged drinking water standards.
– **Fried Food:** TPC meters will be used on-site to inspect fried food.
– **Expired Food:** Vigilance will ensure expired food is neither sold nor distributed; unfit food items will be destroyed.
– **Confectionery:** Vendors will be inspected to ensure the ‘use by date’ is clearly marked.
– **Serving Practices:** Instructions have been given to avoid using paper while serving food.
Circulars:
Traders will receive circulars on cleanliness and rule compliance.
Medicine Checks
Drug inspectors will inspect establishments selling medicines along the Palkhi route. Monitoring will ensure that medicines are sold to devotees at reasonable prices, and actions will be taken against establishments selling or storing expired medicines.
Officers’ Holidays Cancelled
Due to the Palkhi departure ceremony in Pune district and its journey to Pandharpur, officers and employees will be deployed for inspections at each stage. No officer in this department will be allowed to take leave between June 25 and July 17, except in exceptional circumstances as per instructions to department heads.
