Tirupati Laddu Controversy: Centre Issues Show Cause Notice To Ghee-Supplying Company

Acting on a tip-off, the Jagatpur police and the Food Safety Department of Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC)conducted a joint raid on the premises of a milk company named “Rohini Milk” at Atoda forest on the Mahanadi River here and busted the illegally operating unit.

“This milk was prepared using contaminated water, sodium hydroxide, chemicals and milk powder. Besides milk, other milk products such as curd, lassi, cheese, were also prepared at the unit,” a senior police officer said.

“The adulterated milk and milk products were sold to various districts including Cuttack, Kendrapara, Jajpur and Puri,” he added.

Jagatpur Police registered a case and detained the owner of the milk processing unit, identified as Pradeep Kumar Parida, in this connection.  

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“The embedded upper air cyclonic circulations, one over west central Bay of Bengal and another over south coastal Myanmar & neighbourhood in the east-west trough has merged and seen as a cyclonic circulation over Central Bay of Bengal extending upto 5.8 Km above mean sea level tilting southwestwards with height. Under its influence, a low-pressure area is likely to form over Westcentral Bay of Bengal & neighbourhood during the next 24 hours,” IMD’s latest bulletin said.

Meanwhile, the IMD predicted that heavy rainfall will continue over parts of Odisha for the next four days. It also issued a yellow weather warning for several districts till September 26.

According to the IMD, “Thunderstorm with lightning and heavy rainfall (7 to 11cm) is very likely to occur at isolated places in the districts of Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khordha, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Kalahandi, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Nabarangpur, Balasore, Bhadrak, Kandhamal during the next 24 hours.”

Similarly, the IMD forecast heavy rainfall over several districts in the State until September 26.

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Meanwhile, Former Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), YV Subba Reddy, moved the Supreme Court for the constitution of an independent committee headed by a retired apex court judge, to investigate the allegations of substandard ingredients and animal fat in the ghee to make Laddu Prasadam at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirumala.

Earlier in the day, a 'purification' ritual, Shanti Homam was performed as per the tenets of Vaikhanasa Agama in the Yagashala of Tirumala temple. To ensure that any 'doshas' which may have taken place during various programs or religious ceremonies conducted for Lord Venkateshwara, every year TTD conducts 'Pavitraotsavams' which involve 'Samprokshnas' in different areas. To ensure confidence is restored in devotees and they pray with a peaceful mind, a one-day 'Samprokshnas' and 'Shanti Homam' was conducted.

The Temple Authority also set up a sensory panel which will evaluate food samples on the parameters of aroma, taste and texture.

Earlier on Sunday, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu announced the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the allegations about the adulteration of Tirupati Prasadam (laddus).

"We are forming a Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising officers of IGP and above posts. The SIT will submit a report to the government and we will take action based on that report so that such things are not repeated," Naidu said.

Andhra Pradesh CM Naidu further stated, " I am taking three angles, first, purification, according to traditions. I am ordering an inquiry at the IGP level. Only those who have beliefs will be there in the management committee. Finally, we will prepare standard operating procedures for all the temples."

On September 19, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu stirred a political controversy after he claimed that the ghee used in the preparation of Tirupati laddoo prasadam, offered at Sri Venkateswara Swami Temple in Tirupati, contained animal fat during the previous YSRCP government.

Sri Venkateswara Swami Temple is a Hindu temple situated in the Tirumala hills of Andhra Pradesh's Tirupati district. (ANI)

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