Minimum standards of hygiene like source of water, raw materials used in preparing food items are a must and food stall owners violating norms face punitive action FDA.
A day after DNA reported on pani puri vendors near Shaniwarwada using water from a public toilet to prepare food items, it is shocking that such incidents can go on unabated as regulatory bodies don’t have the manpower to keep these instances under check.
Minimum standards of hygiene like source of water, raw materials used in preparing food items are a must and food stall owners violating norms face punitive action from Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), which is food licensing authority for city.
However, when asked how many drives were taken in past six months against mobile food vendors and fines collected, FDA officials gave vague excuses.
“We have 32 food inspectors; each one compulsorily visits 10 sites and takes five samples every month. We also act after receiving complaints. However, I don’t have figures for last six months as a new act has just been implemented and we are issuing licenses and registrations under it. There is hardly any time for big raids at present,’’ said Chandrashekhar Salunkhe, joint commissioner (food), FDA Pune.
The new act in question is Food Safety Act that came into force on August 5, 2011. Under the act, those doing any food-related business above Rs12 lakh have to procure a licence while food-related business less than 12 lakh including food stalls, hawkers, canteen owners, tea shops, milk shops, those manufacturing and re-packaging food and others have to get registered at a nominal fee of Rs100.
FDA says the number of food establishments registered under Pune district is 4,400. When asked if this figure was realistic, FDA officials said they have no idea.
“We can only talk of registered establishments. How can we estimate the number of unlicensed stalls? Our officers are asking them to get registered. Until now, there was no control over these stalls owners. At least under the new act, even a vada pav vendor will have to give us his address and identity proof. If there is some untoward incident, like the unfortunate pani puri vendor, we can at least trace him,’’ said FDA’s assistant commissioner DR Sawant.
He added that to get registration for a food stall, no inspection of premises is required. “No, it is not that we don’t inspect food stalls. We don’t need to inspect them before registering them. The shops are inspected only if we suspect foul play,’’ said Salunkhe.
A food vendor has only to write on a paper that he is using potable water or quality raw materials. If there is a drive against street vendors, he might or might not get caught in the net.
FDA’s joint commissioner (drugs) BR Masal defended his department stating that the number of food vendors was too huge and staff strength of FDA too small. “Keeping a vigil at every stall isn’t possible considering our staff strength. Even if we raid these stalls and fine them, they don’t stop their business. They start their business in another area within a few days,’’ he said.
(With inputs from Rajesh Rao)
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