AMC holds camps to spread awareness on food registration

With only a few food vendors and hotels coming forward to register themselves under the Food Safety and Standard Act (FSSA), health officials of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) are concerned at the low turnout and their target of covering all of them within Central government’s the stipulated time. Therefore, the civic body is organizing camps and seminars with different associations and bodies to spread awareness about the new license.

Speaking to DNA, municipal commissioner Guruprasad Mohapatra said, “We will hold camps and meet different associations like hotel associations, caterer associations and even street-side food stalls. This will help us in spreading awareness and ask them to come forward for registration.” He also stated that the earlier date for completing registrations of the city, August 2012 has been extended.

When asked what is causing the delay, an AMC official stated: “The basic problem is lack of awareness, which we are trying to cover through the seminars.” He further stated that two such camps have been completed, one more will be held this week. “We have held meetings with Chemist Association of the city and Odhav Industrial Association, from which we received around 150 registrations,” he said.

Around 35,000 registrations are expected under FSSA Act, out of which, only 5,500 have been issued licenses. Under the earlier existing Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act, around 7,000 units of the city were issued license.

But with the new Act, wholesalers, retailers, catering business, petty shops, tea kiosks etc will also have to be registered under the new Act.