Hygiene for Kitchens: Finally, Mumbai University wakes up to canteen cleanliness

To ensure hygienic food for students at its two campuses, the University of Mumbai, for the first time, is planning to organise a workshop on food safety for its kitchens. The proposed workshop is scheduled on January 14.

The Kalina campus has five hostels and three canteens, while the Fort campus has two canteens. Over 10,000 students study in these two campuses and nearly 80% of them are dependent on these kitchens. The students have always been complaining about food hygiene.

Mridul Nile, director of students’ welfare, told DNA: “Students’ health comes first. We have organised a hygiene workshop for all food handlers on January 14.”

Varsity engineer has been asked to repair poor kitchens also. “Our canteen hygiene committee will deliver a few lessons,” said Nile. The committee was set up three months ago.

A committee member, however, said: “The food handlers are illiterate. Forget about implementation, we don’t know if they will understand our hygiene tips. But this will definitely sensitise them. They may need more such workshops.”

The urgent need for sensitisation is clear from the words of in-charge of main canteen at Kalina, Suhas, who boasted, “We are the best canteen in the campus.” He, however, refused to show the kitchen, saying it was being cleaned.

Students of the Anna Bhau Sathe Bhawan Hostel said: “Our canteen people stick to quality and hygiene for a few days and lapse into the same routine.” Students of KPB hostel said, “Varsity should run all its messes on its own.”