BANGALORE: As many as 6,000 licensed restaurants and just one food safety inspector. So next time you step into a restaurant for your favourite chow, just don't think about food safety.
After Kalasipalyam police unearthed the milk adulteration case on March 26, 2012, BBMP suspended four of its five food inspectors. That left the civic body with just one inspector!
Realizing the danger of having just one officer manning so many restaurants, the Public Health Institute has now written to the government to immediately appoint food safety officials. Dr Srinivasa Gowda, joint director, Public Health Institute, told STOI they had told the government to appoint 32 food security officials for BBMP limits.
"As per the Food Safety and Standard Act 2006, there are sanctioned posts for 14 food safety officers. The health department has a proposal to appoint 614 officials in different positions for enforcement of the Act. We have proposed the appointment of 244 food safety officers so one officer can be posted in each taluk across the state.''
Health officer issued notice
Seeking an explanation for the underperformance of food safety officers, the BBMP deputy commissioner sent a show cause notice to Dr Manjula KE, chief health officer, BBMP. "It was directed to you to depute one health officer in each of the 198 wards. Instructions were given to inspect food processing and distributing units to find out adulteration cases. However, no such instructions have been followed in the past two months," the show cause notice reads.
On March 26, about 10,000 litres of milk from Erode, adulterated with caustic soda (used to unclog drains), washing powder (for the froth), sugar and tapioca powder was seized by police and the adulteration was confirmed after testing.
According to Vasudeva Adiga, president of Bangalore Hoteliers' Association, "Regular inspections are necessary. But before acting against hotels, BBMP must close roadside food stalls. They fail to maintain hygiene and have not obtained licence from BBMP. Most hotels in Bangalore get milk supply from Mother Dairy and don't depend on milk supplied from Erode," he said
After Kalasipalyam police unearthed the milk adulteration case on March 26, 2012, BBMP suspended four of its five food inspectors. That left the civic body with just one inspector!
Realizing the danger of having just one officer manning so many restaurants, the Public Health Institute has now written to the government to immediately appoint food safety officials. Dr Srinivasa Gowda, joint director, Public Health Institute, told STOI they had told the government to appoint 32 food security officials for BBMP limits.
"As per the Food Safety and Standard Act 2006, there are sanctioned posts for 14 food safety officers. The health department has a proposal to appoint 614 officials in different positions for enforcement of the Act. We have proposed the appointment of 244 food safety officers so one officer can be posted in each taluk across the state.''
Health officer issued notice
Seeking an explanation for the underperformance of food safety officers, the BBMP deputy commissioner sent a show cause notice to Dr Manjula KE, chief health officer, BBMP. "It was directed to you to depute one health officer in each of the 198 wards. Instructions were given to inspect food processing and distributing units to find out adulteration cases. However, no such instructions have been followed in the past two months," the show cause notice reads.
On March 26, about 10,000 litres of milk from Erode, adulterated with caustic soda (used to unclog drains), washing powder (for the froth), sugar and tapioca powder was seized by police and the adulteration was confirmed after testing.
According to Vasudeva Adiga, president of Bangalore Hoteliers' Association, "Regular inspections are necessary. But before acting against hotels, BBMP must close roadside food stalls. They fail to maintain hygiene and have not obtained licence from BBMP. Most hotels in Bangalore get milk supply from Mother Dairy and don't depend on milk supplied from Erode," he said
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