THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government will not show any leniency in the implementation of the Food Safety and Standard Act, said health minister V S Sivakumar here on Wednesday.
Addressing a press conference, the minister emphasized that every food producer in the state, from street vendors to star hotels, would be strictly monitored and defaulters will be penalized.
"By conducting more than 3,000 awareness programmes across the state since August 5, 2011, the food safety department has made the food businesses and establishments aware of the strict nature of the act," he said.
"Those who violate the rules will be asked to close shop and only after proving their capacity to meet the standards will they be allowed to function again," the minister added. Sivakumar opined that the earlier food safety laws were lenient but under the new one, a defaulter could be imprisoned up to six years and slapped a fine of up to Rs 10 lakh, and no compromise would be made in its execution.
In the past two days, food safety officials raided 271 hotels across the state. As many as 18 hotels were told to close down and 150 given improvement notices. "The drive will continue in the coming days," the minister said.
When asked whether the department had necessary infrastructure and manpower required for the mass operation, Sivakumar said that if required, more officials would be recruited.
"The department has labs to conduct sample checks at Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Kozhikode and Pathanamthitta.
More labs will be established in all districts in the state, for which we have requested additional funds from the Centre,"he said.
Meanwhile, the state had completed the registration process of 2,167 petty shop owners and have given licenses to 8,964 hotel and restaurant owners.
He further said that a meeting of various state departments would be convened soon to bring coordination in the process.
Addressing a press conference, the minister emphasized that every food producer in the state, from street vendors to star hotels, would be strictly monitored and defaulters will be penalized.
"By conducting more than 3,000 awareness programmes across the state since August 5, 2011, the food safety department has made the food businesses and establishments aware of the strict nature of the act," he said.
"Those who violate the rules will be asked to close shop and only after proving their capacity to meet the standards will they be allowed to function again," the minister added. Sivakumar opined that the earlier food safety laws were lenient but under the new one, a defaulter could be imprisoned up to six years and slapped a fine of up to Rs 10 lakh, and no compromise would be made in its execution.
In the past two days, food safety officials raided 271 hotels across the state. As many as 18 hotels were told to close down and 150 given improvement notices. "The drive will continue in the coming days," the minister said.
When asked whether the department had necessary infrastructure and manpower required for the mass operation, Sivakumar said that if required, more officials would be recruited.
"The department has labs to conduct sample checks at Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Kozhikode and Pathanamthitta.
More labs will be established in all districts in the state, for which we have requested additional funds from the Centre,"he said.
Meanwhile, the state had completed the registration process of 2,167 petty shop owners and have given licenses to 8,964 hotel and restaurant owners.
He further said that a meeting of various state departments would be convened soon to bring coordination in the process.
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