Licensing relief for hotels again!

Thiruvananthapuram: The Union Ministry of Health and Family welfare has extended the deadline for hoteliers and restaurants to get the mandatory licence and registration under the Food Safety and Standards Act by one year. City folks feel that the relaxation can lead to more unsavory incidents of spicy hot food served with dead cockroaches and centipedes.

This is the second time the extension has been given, making a mockery of efforts to rein in eateries. The last day that was fixed earlier was February 4, 2013. The order issued by the food safety and standards authority of India, Ministry of health and Family Welfare stated that in continuation of the statutory advisory dated July 25, 2012 it has been decided to extend the time to February 4, 2014 for food business operators who have not obtained licence or registration under the new act.
Sisy Roy, the mother of Sachin Roy Mathew, who allegedly died after consuming shawarma on July 16, 2012 from a city hotel, said, “ I don’t know why the government has taken such a decision, every day we hear that bad food is being served in hotels. The government is supposed to take strict action against these hoteliers; instead they are giving more time.”
She added that it has been eight months since the death of her son but the case has not made any progress. “Does any government understand the pain that I am going through? My son is no more, and what was his fault? He paid money and bought the food. One second I was calling my son and the next I was not able to reach him because tragedy struck him.”