Now Reading: Kerala minister orders ghee quality checks at Sabarimala
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Kerala minister orders ghee quality checks at Sabarimala
The Story in Brief
Devaswom Minister K Muraleedharan has written to the Travancore Devaswom Board president, ordering quality checks on ghee that devotees bring to Sabarimala for appam and aravana preparations. Tens of thousands of pilgrims deposit ghee into six storage tanks. The minister has proposed setting up joint labs at hospitals in Sannidhanam and Pampa, run by the Health, Food Safety, and Forensic Medicine departments. Each tank will yield three samples: one tested on-site, one sent to a central lab, and one frozen for follow-up. The labs must be set up before the Mandalam pilgrimage season begins, with the board providing funds and infrastructure.
The Indian Opinion
The push for ghee testing at Sabarimala is understandable, given the scale of offerings. But the real test will be whether the three-department labs are ready before the Mandalam rush begins. Devotees have long trusted the temple's prasadam; the government must ensure that new checks do not become a bottleneck or an excuse for disruptions. How much will the Travancore Devaswom Board allocate, and can the infrastructure be set up in time?
Sources (2): thehindu.com, english.mathrubhumi.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above. Methodology and corrections.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
