Vendors back with resolve for hygiene

After an interval of 15 days, the street vendors of the city of palaces have come back, this time with a resolve to keep their establishments clean, give more importance to hygiene and offer treated water to their customers.

The vendors had been out of business ever since the city went through a bout with cholera and jaundice from the beginning of April.

The Chamundeshwari Roadside Vendors Welfare Committee after a meeting held on Tuesday decided to re-launch their business with a penchant for hygiene and cleanliness.

“We had to take a decision unilaterally as the mayor and the district in-charge minister did not bother to meet us and give time estimation for us to resume our business,” said Nanjundappa an office bearer of the committee.

“Many of us have realised that we were a part of the city’s health profile too, it was not just business but a responsibility, ever since we were asked to close shops from April 2, and we had been brainstorming on the food safety aspect. Some of us have installed some devices to keep away the flies and mandatory covering of the food. Some of the members have even changed their street vending counters or lined them with hygienic material like stainless steel, those who have good business (around Gandhi square and clock tower square have even agreed to provide disposable non plastic plates and tumblers” Nanjundappa told DNA.

The cut fruit vendors have been asked to wear caps and wear disposable polythene gloves, which was already a standard accessory that was on the health manual of the Mysore City Corporation (MCC).

Meanwhile, the health officials of MCC have confirmed that the incidence of cholera have completely stopped while jaundice was on the way out.