MANGALURU: Taking cognisance of the incident at a temple in Chamarajanagar that claimed at least 17 lives, government officials and organisers of the Brahmakalashotsava ceremony of the 1,300-year-old Sri Rajarajeshwari Temple, Polali, have been exercising extra caution, especially during preparation of food.
Thousands of volunteers have been divided into several batches and assigned a cross section of responsibilities to ensure that the ceremony, spanning a little less than two weeks, is all hunky dory.
Dr Deepa Prabhu, taluk health officer, Bantwal, told TOI that a team of six officials has been tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that food and beverages provided to devotees are of superior quality. “To ensure this, the officials personally consume the food at least one hour before it is served to devotees. “Only after we are fully convinced about the quality of food and beverages, do we let them out of the kitchen,” she said, adding the officials check for the quality every single time it is prepared.
Also, samples of food are kept in cold storage for at least 48 hours from the time they are cooked, in case they are to be subjected to tests in case of any eventuality.
“Though we have ensured cleanliness, we have sent samples of water and food to the laboratory in Mysuru for documentation. Reports are awaited,” she said.
Chandrahasa D Shetty, convener, Polali Brahmakalshotsava committee, said only batches of cooks are permitted in the kitchen on a rotational basis and those without any business at the kitchen are denied entry. He said CCTV cameras have been installed at multiples points in the kitchen and store room.
Deepa said all six wells, from which water is drawn for drinking and cooking purposes, are subjected to at least a couple of rounds of cleaning and chlorination.
The Ullal city municipal council has also swung into action in contributing towards hygiene. Unlike the general practice, where kitchen waste used to be dumped in pits created in nearby fields and only disposed after the conclusion of festivities, all wastes are taken away to the dumping yard at Pacchenady every few hours. For this purpose, the Ullal CMC has granted four tempos. Two more tempos are likely to be pressed into action for the remaining days as more batches of devotees are expected.
Special emphasis has also been laid on maintaining cleanliness in all the 80 toilets that have been set up near the temple premises. In addition to chemically treating these toilets, a team of 40 members from Kollegal have been employed to clean them regularly.
It is also pertinent to note that 60 members from Patanjali Yoga Shiskahana Samiti and 200 volunteers from Maroli Suryanarayana Temple have been striving round the clock to keep the rest of the premises in good health.
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