VIJAYAWADA: The Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has reportedly returned 200 boxes of kishmish (raisins) intended for prasadam at the Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Varla Devasthanam (SDMSD) temple atop Indrakeeladri. The boxes were rejected on Saturday for failing to meet quality standards, as the seeds were smaller than the large raisins typically used in prasadam preparation. This is not the first instance; over the past ten days, FSSAI authorities have sent back various ingredients supplied to the Durga temple on three occasions due to similar quality concerns. It has been alleged that a report will be submitted to the state government regarding the contracting agency responsible for supplying these ingredients.
Additionally, the temple's stationary store in-charge, AEO N. Ramesh Babu, has been dismissed and reassigned to Dwaraka Tirumala amid ongoing concerns about ingredient quality.
