25% of city eateries still to apply for FDA licence

AS the city preps up to celebrate the New Year in a few days from now, about 25 per cent of restaurant owners are yet to submit forms to procure licences from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In this case, those restaurants would be declared illegal, said Assistant Commissioner of FDA Chandrakant Salunke. 

According to the amended Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA) of 2006, it is mandatory for all food manufacturers, including small eateries, to register or renew their licence from the FDA. December 31 is the last date to submit applications. 

Salunke said, "Those who have submitted forms but are yet to get licences can run their establishments. Eatery owners who do not submit applications in time will be declared illegal. So far only 75 per cent restaurant owners in the city have applied for the licence."

Ganesh Shetty, president of Restaurants and Hoteliers Association (RHA), said 150 restaurant owners took forms from the RHA office yesterday.