No compromise on quality of ghee used for laddus: TTD official

Asserting that Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) will protect the sanctity of laddu prasadam offered to Sri Venkateswara Swamy, TTD Executive Officer J Syamala Rao said there will be no compromise on the quality of ingredients, including pure cow ghee, a temple representative said on Saturday.

There is every need to protect the sanctity and divinity of Tirumala Divyakshetram and Laddu Prasadam, Rao told media on Friday evening."The NDDB has come forward to donate ghee adulteration testing equipment, which will cost Rs 75 lakh, which is likely to come up by December or January next as a permanent solution," he maintained.

The EO said Chief Minister Chandra Babu Naidu has clearly stated that the quality and taste of laddu prasadam needs to be ensured and sanctity needs to be restored by using pure cow ghee as it involves the sentiments of millions of devotees.

Following this, we started focussing on improving the quality and taste of laddus ever since the new TTD administration took over, he said.After receiving feedback from pilgrims over the poor quality of laddus in the last few years and also interacting with the Potu workers (laddu makers), for the first time TTD sent ghee supplies to an outside lab for adulteration testing, he said.

There were five suppliers of ghee to TTD and the rates were between Rs 320 and Rs 411 per kg, but these rates were not viable rates for supplying pure ghee, the EO informed.All have been warned by the new administration to ensure good quality ghee; otherwise, samples will be sent to outside labs for testing for adulteration and will be blacklisted if found positive.

Even after warning, 4 ghee tankers sent by one supplier were prima facie found to be of substandard quality, he said.Supplies were temporarily suspended. After a thorough examination with experts, a decision will be taken whether to restore the same or not, he added.(UNI)<>