Even while health concerns of Kochiites over the unhygienic food has reached breaking point with the recent raids, a majority of the restaurants and hotels in the city have failed to obtain their licences under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2011. As per the official count, less than one third of the joints have gone in for the registration.
With barely half a month to go for the deadline of the registration for the licences (August 5, 2012), most of the food joints in the city now face the threat of penal action against them. “As per our estimates there are over 30,000 food joints in the city with an annual turnover of more than 12 lakhs. All of these must obtain their licences before August 5. But as of now only 9000 restaurants have registered for the licences,” said the Ernakulam District designated Food Safety officer, K Ajith.
The Food Safety and Standards Act 2011 came into force in August last year. But the central government had given a relaxation of one year for the food joints concerned to obtain their licences. While small scale way side eateries could obtain the licences after submitting the necessary details and a sum of Rs 100, larger food joints with a turn over of more than 12 lakhs are supposed to produce the concerned documents and pay an amount of Rs 2000. It is this latter section that has mainly failed to submit their registration papers.
The officers allege that the reluctance to obtain the licences is mainly die to the pressure from the unions. “The Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi has even put up circulars asking their members not to go in for the registration. They have been spreading rumours that the Act will get repealed and hence there is no need to go for the licence. But the Food Safety Wing will take strict action against all the food joints which fail to send in their applications for registrations before August 5,” said the Food Safety officer. The failure to get the license can invite a penalty of upto 6 months imprisonment and a sum of Rs 5 lakhs.
Meanwhile the Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi denied the charges. “We have not prevented our members from taking licences. It is due to the endless procedures and absence of adequate staff in the Food Safety that the process is getting delayed. There are not even registration papers to give in the applications. Besides there are some 12 documents that we have to obtain including test reports of food samples. All this is delying the process,” said the State President of the Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi, T Nazeerudin.
With barely half a month to go for the deadline of the registration for the licences (August 5, 2012), most of the food joints in the city now face the threat of penal action against them. “As per our estimates there are over 30,000 food joints in the city with an annual turnover of more than 12 lakhs. All of these must obtain their licences before August 5. But as of now only 9000 restaurants have registered for the licences,” said the Ernakulam District designated Food Safety officer, K Ajith.
The Food Safety and Standards Act 2011 came into force in August last year. But the central government had given a relaxation of one year for the food joints concerned to obtain their licences. While small scale way side eateries could obtain the licences after submitting the necessary details and a sum of Rs 100, larger food joints with a turn over of more than 12 lakhs are supposed to produce the concerned documents and pay an amount of Rs 2000. It is this latter section that has mainly failed to submit their registration papers.
The officers allege that the reluctance to obtain the licences is mainly die to the pressure from the unions. “The Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi has even put up circulars asking their members not to go in for the registration. They have been spreading rumours that the Act will get repealed and hence there is no need to go for the licence. But the Food Safety Wing will take strict action against all the food joints which fail to send in their applications for registrations before August 5,” said the Food Safety officer. The failure to get the license can invite a penalty of upto 6 months imprisonment and a sum of Rs 5 lakhs.
Meanwhile the Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi denied the charges. “We have not prevented our members from taking licences. It is due to the endless procedures and absence of adequate staff in the Food Safety that the process is getting delayed. There are not even registration papers to give in the applications. Besides there are some 12 documents that we have to obtain including test reports of food samples. All this is delying the process,” said the State President of the Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi, T Nazeerudin.
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