Know what you eat!

With the amendment of the Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA), 1954, the newly formed, Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, makes it binding on all the eateries, dhabas, to obtain a license and register the eatery with the Food and Drug Administration Department.

Chandrashekhar Salunke, assistant commissioner, Food, FDA, Pune district, said, "All establishments are made mandatory to obtain license from FDA, only to function smoothly. This decision will curb and bring down the low quality of food and hygienic conditions while preparing will be maintained.”
“It is a good decision to implement the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations 2011. Unfortunately actual regular inspection is not done from concerned authority. Mere imposing new regulation will not solve the hygiene problem. As we see generally same cloth is used to clean the utensils for long time in a day, the food cooked in the morning is served for the whole day or two etc. create hygiene problems. Encroachment, hotel parking problems will be solved at the initial stage only,” said Dinesh Hole, member, zonal railway committee.
While the owner of Rasoi Hut was aware of the new amendment, KC Chandak said, “The law was there but it was PMC’s food departments responsibility, it seems they have FDA looking into it directly. It is a good thing meaning all the encroachments will be off the road especially over night tapris which are serving unhygienic food. I will welcome any such new lciense and will happily apply for it whatever be the cost. It will not hamper my menu prices. I will immediately take it.”
Baibhaw Bibhu, an IT professional said, “There are certain measures that should be taken to keep a check on the food quality. However the officials fail to do the needful. Also the roadside eateries attract a lot of commuters despite of them being aware of the unhygienic surroundings.”

According to the act…
The Act says that all street food vendors with an annual turnover of less than Rs 12 lakh will have to obtain a certificate. Those having a turnover of over Rs 12 lakh will have to obtain a license. The licensing fee is Rs. 100 per year while registration fees are around Rs. 2000. The obtainer can apply for a license and registration for a period of Five years at once.