Priests warn of hunger strike over adulterated sweets sold outside Jyotiba temple
The priest said these adulterated sweets are manufactured in Gujarat and then distributed for sale outside prominent temples across Maharashtra, where devotees purchase them as "prasad". He added that the boxes containing these sweets lack labels, ingredients, manufacturing dates, and expiry dates, leading consumers to suffer from sore throats and stomach upsets.
Sunil Lawale, a former gram panchayat member and priest at Jyotiba temple, said, "Lord Jyotiba is the deity of millions of devotees, mostly from Maharashtra and Karnataka.
On average, 70 to 80 lakh people visit the temple in a year. Pedha is offered to the deity, and the pilgrims take pedhas and dairy products back to their homes as prasad. During the yatra period, 2 to 3 tonnes of pedhas get sold. But where does this pedha come from? What are the ingredients? How many days is the pedha fir for consumption? Even though it is legally mandatory to write this information on the box or similar packaging, no one knows this.
The sellers do not give anyone this information."
Local residents, public representatives, gram panchayat members, and gram panchayat executives have made efforts at various levels to prevent the sale of contaminated pedhas. However, the relevant authorities have not taken notice, allowing a racket of selling contaminated and adulterated pedha to operate in and around the Jyotiba temple.
Jalindhar Gune, a resident of Wadi Ratnagiri, said, "Last year, 2,000 kgs of pedha were seized from Jyotiba for contamination. Even a razor blade was found in pedha this year in Jan. Devotees come here with full devotion. But why is the Food and Drugs Administration not taking any action against the people responsible for this contamination?"
Jagdish Patil, of Grahak Hit Sourakshan (a consumer protection forum), said, "These sweets don't have any location or details of the manufacturer.
That is why if any consumer gets food poisoning or faces serious health problems after eating the contaminated pedha, the seller or the manufacturer doesn't face any action."
The matter has been raised with the sub-divisional officer, tehsildar, and police officer in the Yatra committee meeting. Despite receiving orders to investigate the issue, no concrete action has been taken yet.
Meanwhile, D M Shirke, the assistant commissioner, FDA Kolhapur, said, "Routine checks are conducted to avoid adulteration. Recently, during the Shravan Shashti yatra period at Jyotiba hill, action was taken against the sweets that arrived from Karnataka in large quantities. Outside traders try to sell such contaminated sweets. Last year, 2 tonnes of contaminated pedha were seized. Our action is continuing against food contamination.
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