Amid a row over animal fats allegedly being present in laddoos served at Andhra Pradesh’s Tirupati temple, tender paperwork accessed solely by India As we speak elevate questions in regards to the ghee procurement course of. The matter pertains to ghee procured by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) between August 2023 and July 2024 – when the YSR Congress Occasion was in energy.
Clause 80 of the tender doc mandates the provider to submit a clearance certificates for every consignment of ghee from an NABL accredited and FSSAI permitted laboratory to the TTD. Clause 81 necessitates the TTD to ship the samples of ghee for lab testing.
Regardless of such stringent clauses, it raises questions as to how the adulteration within the ghee was not caught within the samples allegedly provided to TTD between August 2023 and July 2024. It means that it is likely to be both a case of oversight or deliberate exemption given to the ghee provider.
Amid the row, TTD government officer J Syamala Rao mentioned the temple board had blacklisted AR Dairy Meals Pvt Ltd and initiated authorized proceedings in opposition to it for allegedly supplying adulterated ghee. AR Dairy, one of many many suppliers of ghee to TTD, has denied allegations of adulteration.
The controversy erupted after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, earlier this week, alleged that substandard substances and animal fats had been discovered within the laddoos served as prasadam at Tirupati temple through the earlier YSRCP regime.
Citing a lab report from Gujarat, Naidu claimed the presence of “beef tallow”, “lard” (regarding pig fats), and fish oil within the ghee.
Jagan Mohan Reddy, nonetheless, refuted the allegation, saying that no violation befell beneath his authorities. The previous Chief Minister additionally accused Naidu of doing “politics within the identify of God”.
TIRUPATI GHEE CONTRACT TIMELINE
July 2023: Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) hikes the worth of Nandini Ghee.
July 2023: KMF confirms a halt in Nandini ghee provide as TTD empanels a brand new Tamil Nadu-based firm to offer ghee at a less expensive fee. AR Dairy Meals is among the many companies to get a contract for the availability of ghee at Rs 320 per kg.
June 2024: Chandrababu Naidu authorities appoints JS Rao as TTD government officer
July 2024: NDDB CALF report on ghee samples finds adulteration, together with beef fats and fish oil. The contract with AR Dairy Meals is cancelled submit adulteration report.
August 2024: Nandini will get contract for the availability of ghee at Rs 470 per kg.
