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Ahead of the annual Kanwar Yatra beginning on July 11, the Meerut district administration has mandated that all food joints along the Kanwar Yatra route prominently display critical information, including a list of food items and their prices.
Divisional commissioner Hrishikesh Bhaskar Yashod said, “The district administration is ensuring that a list of food items and their prices is displayed outside all food joints along the Kanwar Yatra route. This ensures Kanwariyas are not overcharged and can make informed choices.”
The food safety department has been tasked with ensuring that all food joints display their mandatory food safety registration certificates, which include the owner’s name and registration number.
To further enhance accountability, each establishment must display a QR code that allows pilgrims to scan and access detailed information about the food joint’s ownership and compliance status. “This is being done to ensure Kanwariyas receive good quality and pure food during their journey,” Dr. Yashod added.
The administration has warned that strict action will be taken against non-compliant businesses under Section 55 of the Food Safety Act, 2006, which could result in fines of up to ₹2 lakh.
The Kanwar Yatra is an annual pilgrimage undertaken by Lord Shiva’s devotees, known as kanwariyas, who fetch holy water from the Ganga during the auspicious Hindu month of Shravan. This holy water is then offered to Lord Shiva. The yatra draws millions of pilgrims to the region.
Meanwhile, in neighbouring Uttarakhand, chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and health minister Dhan Singh Rawat have directed the health department to implement a dedicated action plan to provide pure and safe food to devotees during the upcoming yatra, according to an official statement.
In July 2024, the Uttar Pradesh government ordered hotels, restaurants, food carts and eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display the names of their owners. The Uttarakhand government also issued a similar direction, of installing nameplates on board across the Yatra route to facilitate the pilgrims.
The Uttar Pradesh government’s order came days after the Muzaffarnagar Police issued directives to all the eateries on the Yatra route to display the names of their respective owners to avoid any “confusion”.
The Supreme Court had intervened and stayed the move, noting that there was no government order empowering the police to give directions in this case. The apex court observed that such directions could be issued under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, or the Street Vendors Act, 2014, to ensure “shudh shakahari” (strictly vegetarian) food is served. The court stated that restaurants should indicate the type of food they serve but not be forced to display the names and identities of owners.
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