The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has initiated a comprehensive three-day training programme focused on food safety and hygiene for local eateries, aiming to safeguard the health of millions of pilgrims visiting the hill town. The programme was inaugurated at the SV Museum Auditorium on Tuesday.
Collaborative Effort
This initiative is a collaborative effort involving the TTD health department, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), and Nestle India. Nestle India is sponsoring the programme through its corporate social responsibility (CSR) wing.
Key Remarks from TTD Official
TTD additional executive officer Ch Venkaiah Chowdary emphasized that pilgrim health and safety remain the administration’s topmost priority. He noted that while TTD maintains immaculate hygiene standards within its own Annaprasadam free-kitchen operations, private hoteliers and street food vendors must scrupulously match these efforts. To ensure sustained compliance, the additional EO mandated that this training programme be conducted systematically every six months at Tirumala.
Training Scope and Curriculum
The extensive training drive aims to cover 325 food establishments in the hill town, directly impacting approximately 1,300 food handlers. The curriculum bridges routine daily tasks with mandatory statutory regulations, combining theoretical guidelines with practical exercises to instil safe food-handling practices.
Distribution of Safety Kits
Commending Nestle India for choosing Tirumala as its launchpad for this training initiative in Andhra Pradesh, Venkaiah Chowdary also distributed protective safety kits consisting of caps, gloves, aprons, and soaps to the participating vendors.
This initiative underscores TTD's commitment to ensuring that all food served in Tirumala meets the highest standards of hygiene, thereby protecting the health of the countless devotees who visit the sacred site each year.
