The Kerala High Court has emphasized the need for a comprehensive food testing laboratory at Pamba to ensure the quality of food offerings at the Sabarimala temple. This directive was issued in response to a case titled Dr. Mahendra Kumar PS v. The State of Kerala & ors and connected case. The Division Bench, comprising Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice KV Jayakumar, expressed concern over the inadequacy of the current food testing facilities at Pamba, which are insufficient for thorough and ongoing analysis.
Currently, food samples from Sabarimala, including sacred offerings like Aravana and Appam, need to be transported to laboratories located in Pathanamthitta or Thiruvananthapuram for testing. The Court remarked that this arrangement does not facilitate timely and effective quality control.
“It is imperative to establish a fully-fledged food testing laboratory at Pamba to perform necessary tests promptly, ensuring strict adherence to food safety standards,” the Court stated. In its order dated August 14, the Court has directed the State government to investigate the feasibility of setting up such a lab at Pamba.
The directive also includes obtaining details about the infrastructure, manpower, and other requirements essential for establishing the facility, ensuring that food safety is upheld to the highest standards. The timeline for the commencement of this facility should also be provided, the Court instructed.
This order emerged from a petition filed by Dr. Mahendra Kumar PS and a suo motu case regarding food safety at Sabarimala. Dr. Kumar’s petition sought directives for the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) and relevant authorities to develop a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for procuring, quality checking, and analyzing food items at Sabarimala.
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During the proceedings, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) informed the Court about a recent inspection conducted at Sabarimala on August 11, which could not be completed due to the temple’s closure. FSSAI assured the Court that a comprehensive inspection would be carried out once the temple reopens, with a detailed report submitted thereafter.
The TDB’s counsel highlighted the limitations of the existing food lab at Pamba, prompting the Court to recommend establishing a full-fledged laboratory at the site. The next hearing is scheduled for September 14, by which time the State is expected to provide a response to the Court’s recommendation.
Legal representation in this case includes Advocates KR Rajkumar, Jagadeesh Lakshman, Aromalunni MS, RK Rakesh, Nandana Babu T, and Sreelakshmi PS for the petitioner. Standing counsel G Biju represented the TDB, while Chithra P George appeared for the FSSAI.
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