Tamil Nadu - Madurai   

Meenakshi Temple to obtain ISO accreditation

— Photo: S. James

GEARING UP:A view of the temple.

MADURAI: Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple here has sought ISO 9001:2008 certification for its premises with a view to providing quality service to devotees.

Only two temples in the State have obtained the accreditation so far — Parthasarathy Temple and Kapaleeswarar Temple in Chennai.

Meenakshi Temple expects to get the certification within February, R. Padmanaban, executive officer, told The Hindu on Tuesday. It has formulated a five-point quality policy, which has been displayed at 60 locations in the temple in Tamil and English.

It has also undertaken a drive to ensure that its quality management system is in compliance with ISO norms. It has applied to the National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB), which undertakes assessment and ensures that applicants maintain quality in line with international standards and guidelines outlined by the International Accreditation Forum (IAF).

A private agency employed by the NABCB will conduct a detailed audit for ISO 9001:2008 certification at the temple on February 23. The agency conducted an internal audit on February 1.

A special five-member team has been formed to monitor all the outsourced work of the temple such as managing shoe stands and house keeping in the temple's Birla Vishram, he said.

First-aid training to attend to bone fracture, blood pressure, burn and cut injuries, besides administering cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was provided recently to 15 temple personnel. Training in use of fire extinguishers would be given to temple staff on February 11.

Emphasis on hygiene

The administrative office has been renovated and a special cataloguing of files has begun. Special emphasis is placed on hygiene. All water tanks in the temple will display the last date of cleaning, chlorination and quantity. The kitchen for ‘annadhanam' has been cleared of pests and insects. The cooking staff and stall keepers have been given gloves and masks.

The temple has also begun cleaning its towers. Around 60 bats were captured near the ‘Mukkuruni Vinayakar' sannidhi and released into the wild.

Feedback and suggestions will be obtained from the devotees through forms. “This certification is to be renewed every three years. This will ensure the process set under way is sustained over long term,” said Mr. Padmanaban.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

“Run Bangalore train on all days”
“Every practice in religious institution not protected”
Special SI caught taking bribe
Bench directive to Collector
HC says no to ‘sthalathars' having keys of temple chest
“Not averse to alliance in which Left parties are constituents”
Meenakshi Temple to obtain ISO accreditation
Meenakshi Temple gets gold ‘Rishaba Vahanam'
A shrill cry for democracy
“Only civil court can resolve row over minority school management”
New Science and Technology policy ready
Yoga therapy
Sports event for State staff
Training for officials on RTI Act held
Woman missing case with CB-CID
Bus bay for TNSTC at select stops in city
Withdraw LIC amendment Bill, urge employees' union
State has potential to overtake Gujarat: official
Opposition demonstration against price rise
Campus to be named after Palanivel Rajan
Madurai Today

Copyright © 2011, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu