In Bangalore, the BBMP has calculated that some 20,000 kiosks, push carts (hawkers too) and wayside makeshift stalls serve food and none of them is obliged to keep any health directive because they are unlicensed.
How safe is the chaat or pani poori you eat at the wayside push cart? How clean is the kitchen of a restaurant round your street corner? Are you sure that the plates they serve are cleaned in boiling water as the rules demand?
Easy are the answers. For all these, we know for sure that the customers have no means to check the quality of food and there is no assurance coming from the food servers.
In Bangalore, the BBMP has calculated that some 20,000 kiosks, push carts (hawkers too) and wayside makeshift stalls serve food and none of them is obliged to keep any health directive because they are unlicensed.
The health committee of the BBMP has just woken to the dangers and it has decided to bring some order to the unruly food supply front that plays havoc with the health of people.
“We have resolved to issue a trade licence to food hawkers,” said Dr MS Shivaprasad, a health committee member and councillor of Aramane ward. “Food hawkers had commanded the sympathy of the authorities as they are poor and eke out a living by themselves,” the doctor said.
“But taking into consideration the widespread complaints of unclean food being served, it has been decided to take a stricter view now,” he said.
Once the trade licence is given in return for a small fee, they will be obliged to keep the guidelines for food hawkers.
Shivaprasad said the Palike would also make available for them sink tank and clean jugs for drinking water.
Creation of food hawkers’ zones is another step being thought of. But the task is tough as it is not easy to identify hawkers’ zone in a city that is bursting at the seams. But it has to be done.
Dr LT Gayatri, chief health officer BBMP, said directions had been issued to all 27 health zones to regularly check food quality by collecting samples of food. “We are already conducting a licence mela to bring in vendors so that they observe the rules,” she said.
“The Palike has 27 medical officers, 100 senior health inspectors and 100 junior health inspectors. It is inadequate in a city of 741 sq km,” said one health official.
But reputed restaurants tell a different story.
“The number is not small if they really work,” said a leading restaurant chain owner sardonically. Vasudev Adiga, president Bruhat Bangalore Hotels Association, said it is intention, not licence that matters.
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