Strict Instructions Issued to Hotel and Shop Owners Ahead of Sabarimala Pilgrimage Season
PAMPA: The Health Department and Food Safety Department have jointly organised an awareness and training programme for hotel owners and traders at Pampa as part of efforts to ensure the health and safety of pilgrims visiting Sabarimala during the Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season.
The programme was held at the Sree Rama Saketham Auditorium in Pampa. District Medical Officer Dr J. Manikandan led the session and highlighted the importance of strictly following hygiene standards while preparing and serving food.
The departments will intensify awareness campaigns and inspections at hotels, restaurants, commercial establishments and drinking water distribution centres along the pilgrimage routes to ensure compliance with health and hygiene regulations.
All employees involved in food preparation, handling and distribution must maintain personal hygiene and possess valid health cards. Food handlers must wear clean clothes and use head covers to prevent hair from falling into food. They should wash their hands regularly with soap and use clean disposable gloves whenever necessary. Appropriate serving utensils must be used instead of handling food directly with bare hands.
Kitchens, food preparation areas and their surroundings must be kept clean at all times. Water and wastewater should not be allowed to accumulate on floors. Covered waste bins must be used for food waste and other garbage, which should be removed before the bins become full and disposed of scientifically.
Vegetables used for cooking must be thoroughly washed with clean water. Rotten or damaged vegetables, fruits and other food items should never be used. Spoiled items must be removed immediately, while fresh vegetables should be stored properly under hygienic conditions. Used cooking oil must not be reused.
Prepared and raw food items should not be left exposed. All food must be properly covered and stored to prevent contamination by flies, insects and dust.
Considering that lakhs of pilgrims from different states are expected to visit Sabarimala during the season, the Health Department will strengthen preventive measures against communicable diseases, including diarrhoeal illnesses and other waterborne and foodborne infections.
Special attention must be given to ensuring the availability of safe drinking water, regularly cleaning and disinfecting water storage tanks, and maintaining hygienic conditions for food preparation and storage.
The health status, valid health cards and personal hygiene of all employees involved in food preparation and distribution, including workers arriving from other states, must be ensured. Employees showing symptoms of illness should not be assigned food-handling duties.
The District Medical Officer urged hotel owners, traders and employees to strictly follow the Health Department's guidelines and cooperate in providing safe food and a hygienic environment for pilgrims.
Health Kerala District Programme Manager Dr Jinu G. Thomas explained the food safety standards to be followed during the pilgrimage season, covering personal hygiene, environmental cleanliness, waste management, safe drinking water and prevention of communicable diseases.
He also highlighted the need to enforce the ban on tobacco use in public places and take action against violations. Traders were made aware of the legal provisions governing the advertisement, display and sale of tobacco products.
The Health Department will closely monitor the possibility of disease outbreaks during the pilgrimage season and intensify preventive activities.
Authorities appealed to all establishments to cooperate in ensuring safe food, clean drinking water and hygienic surroundings for pilgrims by strictly following the department's instructions.
Retired Health Supervisor V. T. Jeemon led an awareness session.
Food Safety Department Pathanamthitta Assistant Commissioner Sujith Perera, District RCH Officer Dr K. K. Shyam Kumar, Nilakkal Primary Health Centre Medical Officer Dr Sajin K. Reji, District Deputy Education and Media Officers R. Deepa and M. P. Bijukumar, Technical Assistants C. P. Asha and R. Sajith, health supervisors, health inspectors and other health workers attended the programme.