Oct 12, 2014

2 months on, majority of food vendors yet to be registered

Even as two months have passed since the deadline for food registration and licensing expired, more than 40% vendors in the district are yet to get registered under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, which has been made mandatory for selling eatables.
The state government’s deadline of August 4, as notified to all district health officials, to assure the registration of food sellers has expired since. But several vendors are still unmindful to the registration.
Under the Food Safety and Standards Act, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has made it mandatory for all food business operators, including producers, processors, transporters or traders of food items, to get license and registration certificates.
A food seller with an annual turnover of up to `12 lakh has to pay `100 per year to get registered, while food business owners who have an annual turnover of over `12 lakh have to get license by paying `2,000 per annum.
It has been learnt that only 550 eateries have got licences in Kapurthala district while about 3,200 vendors got registered with the department.
To make easy the process of registration, the authorities concerned had recently started an online facility at the Kapurthala suwidha kendra to get registered instantly.
An applicant can also avail the online facility from his home by logging on to www.foodlicensing.fssai.gov.in’ and get registered. After this, the applicant has to fill the form for registration or issuance of licence and upload scanned copies of the required documents and submit fee.
In Kapurthala district, only 110 people have availed the online service since it was started.
Dr Guriqbal Singh, district health officer, said they are trying to get 100% registrations under the Food Security Act and the department has given 15 more days to those who have yet to get registered.
“We will wait till October 15 and then cases will be lodged with the chief judicial magistrate. Strict action will be taken against the defaulters,” the district health officer said.
Those who will fail to register their food outlets would face fine up to Rs. 6 lakh or six-month imprisonment, or both, he added.

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