Your meat shop may not be following food safety norms

 

Chandigarh, November 21
In the land of butter chicken, rogan josh and fried fish, poor hygiene standards at hundreds of thousands of poultry and mutton processing/dressing units seems to be the norm. In spite of the new Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA) making it mandatory for meat/mutton/ poultry business operators to register themselves and get a licence from the designated authority, only a miniscule percentage have done the needful.

Information gathered from the Health and Family Welfare Department reveals that just two meat shops in Mohali have registered themselves under the FSSA. The mandatory licence to operate has been issued to just one butchery (in Ludhiana). At least three of the higher capacity poultry manufacturing units have also been issued licences by the Central Licensing Authority. In Chandigarh, no slaughterhouse of poultry birds have either registered themselves or sought a licence under the FSSA.

Violating rules
= Just two meat shops in Mohali have registered themselves under the FSSA 

- The licence to operate has been issued to just one butchery (in Ludhiana)
- At least three of the higher capacity poultry manufacturing units have been issued licences
= In Chandigarh, no slaughterhouse of poultry birds has the mandatory licence


This means that hundreds of meat/ mutton/ poultry operators in the state have failed to register themselves or procure a licence to operate. As a result, hundreds of tonnes of meat and poultry products being consumed by gullible customers across the state is being processed without following the mandatory food hygiene standards as laid down under the FSSA.

Now, the last date for getting themselves registered has been extended to February 6 next year. But the fact remains that these food business operators have exhibited little enthusiasm to follow the new food safety norms. As per the new norms, all hotels, restaurants, hospitals, cash and carry stores are to source their meat and poultry products from a licensed vendor. Sources in the Central Licensing Authority said that even Army slaughterhouses did not have licences from the central licencing authority.

Even as poultry/meat business operators have failed to register themselves, the other food business operators have gone ahead and procured the mandatory licence. Officials in the Health and Family Welfare Department said 28,128 food operators had registered themselves across the state and 4,265 operators were awaiting registration. As many as 4,845 licences had been issued, the maximum in Ludhiana (4282) followed by Sangrur (3,938). As many as 173 applications were pending clearance, the sources said.