- By Kamakshi Bishnoi
- Tue, 01 Jul 2025 05:02 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Given the upcoming Kanwar Yatra, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Health Department of Uttar Pradesh have ramped up preparations to ensure safe food practices and efficient healthcare services along the Yatra route.
This year again, it has been made mandatory for all shopkeepers selling food items along the Kanwar Yatra route to prominently display their name, address, mobile number, and food registration number. To standardise this, the FDA has introduced a new A4-sized sticker that must be pasted on all such shops. These stickers will also carry a toll-free number and a QR code, enabling pilgrims to register complaints about food quality directly from the spot.
According to FDA Commissioner Rajesh Kumar, additional food safety officers will be deployed in all districts on the Yatra route to monitor food safety, prevent overpricing, and ensure that only quality food items are sold.
The department has clarified that shop registration is free for vendors with an annual turnover below Rs 12 lakh. Shopkeepers can register easily via the FOSCOS portal, Jan Seva Kendra, or by contacting the local Food Safety Officer.
The FDA estimates around 80 to 100 food stalls per district along the Yatra route in Western Uttar Pradesh, where monitoring will be most intensive.
Meanwhile, the Health Department has also swung into action to prepare for medical emergencies during the Kanwar Yatra and other upcoming Sawan festivals. Principal Secretary Parth Sarathi Sen Sharma has directed officials to ensure the uninterrupted availability of emergency medicines, adequate deployment of healthcare workers, and fully functional diagnostic equipment at all relevant hospitals.
Special attention is being paid to keep ambulances operational and stationed at sensitive points along the route to facilitate the immediate transportation of any sick or injured pilgrim.
The coordinated effort by the Food and Health departments aims to ensure a safe and hygienic experience for devotees participating in the annual religious pilgrimage.