Eateries functioning in the district should obtain a
proper licence from the authorities concerned as per the provisions of
the Food Safety and Standards Act, a release from the Collector said.
The
release issued here on Wednesday said that the Act came into effect
throughout the country from August 5, 2011 after the Government repealed
the Prevention of Food and Adulteration Act 1954 and seven other Acts
that were in force. The new Act makes licensing and registration of food
businesses mandatory. The District Designated Officer has been given
powers to check food product standards, packaging, labelling and
adulteration in restaurants, eateries, small hotels, bakeries, tea
stalls and all small and cottage industries.
Unhygienic food
Mushrooming
of unlicensed shops and roadside eateries near New Bus Stand, Old Bus
Stand, Market Street and Londonpet, and selling chicken, meat and fast
food items on Mahatma Gandhi Road in Krishnagiri and Hosur towns and
others parts of the district have become a cause for concern as people
throng these eateries and consume unhygienic food.
Though
they offer taste, use of non-permitted colours, reuse of cooking oil,
poor quality of drinking water, unclean plates and food items kept in
the open and exposed to dust pose serious health hazard to the
consumers. Such conditions remain unchecked.
It was also said that dead chicken from poultry units were used by a few shops and offered at low price in many eateries.
A few eateries mushroom in the evening and run till late night near drains where mosquitoes breed and spread diseases.
Contaminated water
These
eateries procure contaminated tap water and serve this to their
customers. Though doctors warn people to keep away from these tempting
food items that cause serious problems, people continue to consume these
foods.
The District Designated Office for the Tamil
Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration Department is functioning on
PWD campus on the Old Bengaluru Road in Krishnagiri.
Roadside
eateries, bakeries, milk vendors, provision stores, hotels, bakeries,
roadside shops, canteens functioning inside the educational institutions
should obtain the licence from the authorities. If violated, action
would be initiated as per the Act.
If they functioned
without licence a fine of up to Rs. 5 lakh would be imposed and for
violation of the Act a fine of up to Rs. 2 lakh and imprisonment up to
six months would be imposed, the release said.
