With a quality check confirming the presence of pesticides in the cumin seeds stock procured by it, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has decided to cancel its contract for purchasing the raw material and engage another agency. The board is yet to receive the pesticide-laced stock.
According to TDB officials, an order has been issued to purchase cumin seeds from the society that supplied the condiment last year. “The decision is based on a laboratory test of the cumin seed samples from the new stock. The stock that we received last season was of good quality and hence the same distributor is being engaged again. This distributor is awaiting clearance from the Food Safety department to transport the new stock,” said an official.
Stock of 18 lakh tins
Cumin powder is a key ingredient in the preparation of Appam and Aravana — the two major offerings at the hill temple that have been an important source of revenue for the TDB. The board authority, meanwhile, maintains that the withdrawal of the stock will not pose any problems for it. “The daily production of Aravana is about one lakh tins and we currently have a stock of about 18 lakh tins,” said P.S. Prasanth, president, Travancore Devaswom Board.
Cardamom last year
During the previous annual pilgrimage season, the TDB had to abandon around six lakh tins of Aravana after a sample test confirmed the presence of around 14 pesticides in the cardamom stock procured by the board. Based on a directive of the Supreme Court, the board is now slated to dispose of its cardamom-laced Aravana stock kept at the Sannidhanam.
According to Mr. Prasanth, transporting the material out of Sannidhanam poses a huge logistical challenge, especially during the annual pilgrimage season. “The total stock will come to about 300 tractor-loads. Further, we must also make sure that the stock does not reach the open market,” he said.
Scientific disposal
Since its initial proposal to shift the material onto the TDB-owned land near Nilackal was shot down citing environmental concerns, the board has decided to invite an expression of interest from the agencies for disposing of the material in a scientific manner. “A company has already expressed interest in clearing the stock using a new technology, which will help separate Aravana from its packaging,” added Mr. Prasanth.
