All food items to be served during the forthcoming Ambubachi Mela in Kamakhya Temple here will be tested and certified by food safety authorities to avoid any adulteration in eatables.
"Certification of food will be done for the first time in Ambubachi Mela. We used to witness a lot of health problems among the pilgrims in the past, mainly due to adulteration of food items.
"For this, we have decided that no food will be served without proper certification," Kamrup Metropolitan Deputy Commissioner M Angamuthu said at a press conference here.
The authorities have permitted 16 'bhandaras' for providing food to devotees and all the items will be tested, he added.
"Besides the government provision, a lot of private groups have set up kitchens to feed the pilgrims. For them too obtaining certificates from food inspectors to maintain food quality will be compulsory," Angamuthu said.
At least 10 lakh pilgrims from across the country, besides a considerable number of them from abroad, are expected to visit Kamakhya temple on the occasion of Ambubachi Mela, he said.
Last year around eight lakh people, including 250 foreigners, visited the temple.
Angamuthu said Kamrup Metropolitan Authority, whose jurisdiction primarily comprises the Guwahati city, will provide accommodation at four places near the temple for the visitors during the mela, beginning on the late night of June 22 and ending on June 26.
The camps will be set up at the temple premises, near Kamakhya railway station, near Pandu river port and Sonaram High School field.
The DC said that around 700 volunteers will be engaged during the mela days for hassle-free visit to the temple.
On the security aspect, Angamuthu said, "We will have adequate number of security personnel in the mela. Guwahati police will post a good strength of personnel for strong vigil in and around the temple area."
For comfortable stay of pilgrims in Guwahati, all aspects such as cleanliness, distribution of food items, supply of drinking water, power supply, coordination with Railways and medical facilities will be properly streamlined in association with other agencies, he added.
Ambubachi, also called 'ameti', is associated with the fertility cult of Goddess Kamakhya and is said to mark her annual menstrual cycle.
