Restaurant owners and vendors in Bokaro are upset with the district health department's diktat to apply for licence or register by August 7 in compliance with the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration) Regulations, 2011, fearing it will lead to inspection raj.
According to assistant chief medical officer of Bokaro Arjun Prasad, owners of restaurants, hotels, grocery stores, sweet shops, fast food joints and roadside eateries will have to obtain licence or registration certificate from the department.
"We are surveying various blocks of Bokaro to identify the number of such operators as well as making them aware about the mandatory requirement for licence or registration for each of them before August 7," said Prasad, adding that about half-a-dozen shop-owners had already applied for registration/licence.
President of Bokaro Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sanjay Vaidya, however, termed the department's notice draconian saying it would encourage inspection raj.
He argued that health officials would enjoy a free reign and demand bribe from the vendors in the name of issuing licence or registration.
"Big operators such as restaurant owners will remain unaffected, but roadside food stall owners will suffer, as they will be pressured by officials for granting licence or registration," said Vaidya, adding that the administration should launch awareness programme on hygiene instead.
Sanjay Singh, who runs a chowmein stall at Sector 12, said, "I barely manage to earn enough to feed my family. Where will I find the time to make rounds of offices to obtain a registration certificate?"
Prasad, however, pointed out that the new regulations were being implemented nationwide after they were formulated last year to bring about transparency.
The officer claimed that local bodies such as Mineral Area Development Authority, which issued licences to the shops and restaurants until now, did so without following standard norms.
Under the new regulations, he added, "all operators who record annual sales figures of over Rs 12 lakh will have to apply for licence and will be charged a fee of Rs 2,000".
He added that licences would be renewed every year.
Shop owners or vendors with annual sales below Rs 12 lakh will have to apply for registration at a fee of Rs 100.
Errant operators are liable to cough up fines between Rs 10,000 and Rs 1 lakh.
"The regulations also provide for penalties and imprisonment for food adulteration," said Prasad.
According to assistant chief medical officer of Bokaro Arjun Prasad, owners of restaurants, hotels, grocery stores, sweet shops, fast food joints and roadside eateries will have to obtain licence or registration certificate from the department.
"We are surveying various blocks of Bokaro to identify the number of such operators as well as making them aware about the mandatory requirement for licence or registration for each of them before August 7," said Prasad, adding that about half-a-dozen shop-owners had already applied for registration/licence.
President of Bokaro Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sanjay Vaidya, however, termed the department's notice draconian saying it would encourage inspection raj.
He argued that health officials would enjoy a free reign and demand bribe from the vendors in the name of issuing licence or registration.
"Big operators such as restaurant owners will remain unaffected, but roadside food stall owners will suffer, as they will be pressured by officials for granting licence or registration," said Vaidya, adding that the administration should launch awareness programme on hygiene instead.
Sanjay Singh, who runs a chowmein stall at Sector 12, said, "I barely manage to earn enough to feed my family. Where will I find the time to make rounds of offices to obtain a registration certificate?"
Prasad, however, pointed out that the new regulations were being implemented nationwide after they were formulated last year to bring about transparency.
The officer claimed that local bodies such as Mineral Area Development Authority, which issued licences to the shops and restaurants until now, did so without following standard norms.
Under the new regulations, he added, "all operators who record annual sales figures of over Rs 12 lakh will have to apply for licence and will be charged a fee of Rs 2,000".
He added that licences would be renewed every year.
Shop owners or vendors with annual sales below Rs 12 lakh will have to apply for registration at a fee of Rs 100.
Errant operators are liable to cough up fines between Rs 10,000 and Rs 1 lakh.
"The regulations also provide for penalties and imprisonment for food adulteration," said Prasad.
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