FDA Gears Up to Ensure Food and Water Safety During Pandharpur Ashadhi Wari – Minister Narhari Zirwal

Mumbai – With lakhs of devotees walking toward Pandharpur for the annual Ashadhi Ekadashi pilgrimage, Maharashtra’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is fully alert and prepared to ensure that the food and beverages distributed during the Wari are hygienic, safe, and of high quality. This was announced by FDA Minister Narhari Zirwal.

Minister Zirwal noted that several charitable organizations, volunteers, and donors provide free food and water along the Wari route. However, due to the risks posed by open food, temporary cooking setups, changing weather, and lack of sanitation, strict preventive measures have been put in place to avoid food poisoning and other foodborne illnesses. He stated that the FDA has been directed to implement these safeguards rigorously.

The FDA is conducting thorough inspections of eateries, sweet shops, and food vendors along the Wari route and in the Pandharpur area. FDA teams are visiting palanquins (palkhis), rest stops, food distribution centers, tents, and community kitchens to ensure adherence to food safety and hygiene guidelines.

Authorities are also checking whether food-distributing organizations possess valid FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) licenses or registrations. If not, they are being assisted in obtaining temporary registrations. Additionally, inspections are being conducted at food preparation sites to verify compliance with hygiene provisions under Schedule 4 of the FSSAI norms.

Volunteers, food distribution organizers, and community kitchen teams are being given brief training on safe food handling. Public awareness campaigns under the slogan “Clean Food, Safe Wari” are being run using brochures, posters, and banners. Zirwal highlighted the effective deployment of ‘Food Safety on Wheels’ mobile labs for food testing and raising awareness among devotees about the dangers of consuming contaminated food or water. Any spoiled or unhygienic food detected will be sampled and sent to the laboratory for testing, he added.

If foodborne illnesses are reported, immediate action will be coordinated with the health department, and district-level agencies will be kept in constant communication.

Minister Zirwal expressed confidence that these proactive steps by the Food and Drug Administration would play a vital role in ensuring a clean, safe, and healthy Ashadhi Wari.

Mumbai – With lakhs of devotees walking toward Pandharpur for the annual Ashadhi Ekadashi pilgrimage, Maharashtra’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is fully alert and prepared to ensure that the food and beverages distributed during the Wari are hygienic, safe, and of high quality. This was announced by FDA Minister Narhari Zirwal.

Minister Zirwal noted that several charitable organizations, volunteers, and donors provide free food and water along the Wari route. However, due to the risks posed by open food, temporary cooking setups, changing weather, and lack of sanitation, strict preventive measures have been put in place to avoid food poisoning and other foodborne illnesses. He stated that the FDA has been directed to implement these safeguards rigorously.

The FDA is conducting thorough inspections of eateries, sweet shops, and food vendors along the Wari route and in the Pandharpur area. FDA teams are visiting palanquins (palkhis), rest stops, food distribution centers, tents, and community kitchens to ensure adherence to food safety and hygiene guidelines.

Authorities are also checking whether food-distributing organizations possess valid FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) licenses or registrations. If not, they are being assisted in obtaining temporary registrations. Additionally, inspections are being conducted at food preparation sites to verify compliance with hygiene provisions under Schedule 4 of the FSSAI norms.

Volunteers, food distribution organizers, and community kitchen teams are being given brief training on safe food handling. Public awareness campaigns under the slogan “Clean Food, Safe Wari” are being run using brochures, posters, and banners. Zirwal highlighted the effective deployment of ‘Food Safety on Wheels’ mobile labs for food testing and raising awareness among devotees about the dangers of consuming contaminated food or water. Any spoiled or unhygienic food detected will be sampled and sent to the laboratory for testing, he added.

If foodborne illnesses are reported, immediate action will be coordinated with the health department, and district-level agencies will be kept in constant communication.

Minister Zirwal expressed confidence that these proactive steps by the Food and Drug Administration would play a vital role in ensuring a clean, safe, and healthy Ashadhi Wari.