PUDUCHERRY, 07/06/2019: ( For UT Matter ) There is a growing concern among residents as well as health authorities about the mushrooming of wayside food vendors without any valid registration and food safety measures. Photo: T.Singaravelou | Photo Credit: T.Singaravelou
Reuse of edible oil and reckless dumping of solid waste pose a health hazard; penalties levied by municipal officials on vendors have so far proved ineffective
The booming business of street food is causing concern among the health authorities in the Union Territory. Illegal small roadside eateries have proliferated on almost all roads in the city.
Call it the trickle effect of tourism or changing food habits of residents, good patronage is drawing more people into the business. Of late, barbecue too has found a place on the streets.
As business multiplies, health authorities are concerned about hygiene and the added pressure on the solid waste management system in the town and suburban places.
“It is a livelihood issue for a large number of poor people. So, no authority will curb the business interest of a street vendor. But at the same time, it is the responsibility of health authorities to ensure that the food sold in these eateries is as per standards. We can see even people cooking food close to storm water drains,” says Kumar, a resident of Lawspet.
The food vendors hold a different view on the hygiene. “How many of you people have seen the way food is cooked in a hotel? At least, we cook the food in front of the customers. If we sell contaminated or adulterated food we will be the losers,” said Mubarak, a resident of Bussy Street.
Health risk
I. Danaraju, food safety officer, urban area, said the department was aware of the growing number of vendors cooking food on the streets. “It is not correct to say that the food cooked by vendors is unhygienic and those in the hotels is hygienic. But one worry is that the food prepared in an open street where there is high vehicular movement brings with it health concerns. Also, the re-use of oil is a concern, including in middle level hotels,” he said.
Ravichandran, food safety officer, rural area, said recently they received a specific complaint from residents of Kirumampakkam about food being prepared on top of a drain. The department had to intervene to make the owner take corrective steps, he added.
From the point of view of safety, an awareness programme was held for the vendors at the Street Food Festival organised by the Local Administration Department.
Mr. Danaraju said the need of the hour was to make these entrepreneurs get registered and sensitise them to the food safety aspect. “Now, none of them have valid identity cards. We can’t penalise them if something goes wrong,” he added.
He stressed the need for a coordinated effort by the food cell, municipality and police to check the quality of food being sold in all eateries, including those sold by vendors. The Food Safety wing did not have sufficient manpower to enforce the rules. It would need the support of the municipality and the police, he added.
For the municipal authorities, street food kiosks pose a challenge as they generate large quantum of solid waste. Even after being given strict instructions to place bins for customers to dispose plates and food waste, many owners did not comply with the rule. “We have started imposing fine. On an average, fines were imposed on around 1,000 people a month. The fine amount ranges from ₹30 to ₹500,” said R. Kathiresan, health inspector, Puducherry Municipality.
Commenting on the growing number of food vendors, Pratha Kumar Shetty, professor in the department of food science and technology in Pondicherry University, said: “It is known that these roadside eateries are low on safety and hygiene, selling food of very low or unsure quality. However, this does not deter the consumers from flocking them for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Especially, quality of oil and repeated and unscientific ways of using oils makes these foods bad for health.”
Concurring with his views, K. Peter Prasanth Kumar, professor, department of paediatrics, Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences, said the traditional processing methods were not used in the preparation, inappropriate holding temperature and poor personal hygiene of food handlers were the main concerns.
The food was not protected from flies and dust. Infections are not uncommon.
Though most of the illnesses caused by contaminated food are self limiting and treatable (acute gastroenteritis), there are instances that can become life threatening. Lack of running water or potable water makes food safety conditions at these locations untenable.
“Street food is here to stay. Vendors should be given some basic training and certification on how to prepare and store them safely. The need of the hour is to understand the operations of our street vendors and develop infrastructure needed to maintain quality,” he said. Stressing the need for maintaining a balanced approach, Prof. Shetty said: “A balance needs to be struck between the health of the consumers and employment of the persons owing the business.”
It is a herculean task to strictly enforce the high standards in this sector. The only way forward was to give regular training and orientation to these establishments and slowly bring them on a kind of formal or semi formal framework through pragmatic simple registration process by the local administration giving training and awareness. There have been efforts in different places by designating them formally as street food zones.
Bangkok in Thailand is one of the best examples of implementing the clean street food programme. “Today, they boast one of the scientifically managed street food cultures in the world. This has improved their tourism by changing the public and world’s perception of street foods,” said Mr. Shetty.
Town vending panels
Municipal Commissioner Arjun Ramakrishna said a town vending committee would be formed soon to identify vending zones where the food vendors could be relocated. The municipality would provide them with all necessary infrastructure, he added.
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