Food safety norms violated at Sangai Festival

Imphal, Nov. 25: Visitors queuing up in front of food stalls at the Sangai Festival is indeed a sight for sore eyes. More than 100 food stalls are catering to the thousands of visitors thronging to soak in the sight and sound of what could arguably be described as the largest revelry in the State. One can find almost every conceivable item of eatery being prepared, and the caterers are having a field day. A person who is running one of the food stalls even confided to our staff reporter that the average taking in an evening is around Rupees 30,000 each for almost all the food stalls. One very serious concern though is the apparent lack of enforcement in making the food stalls to display their FBO registration and license to the public, with the exception of just a handful stalls who displays their licenses very prominently. The unfortunate possibility of more than 98% of these stalls not having the mandatory FBO registration and license is very highly likely. On the other hand, it has been learnt that the Food Safety & Standards Enforcement Wing, Imphal East, Porompat have already sent their reports to the Principal Secretary, Tourism, Government of Manipur regarding the issue of temporary registration/licensing under the Food Safety and Standards Act. 2006, Rules and regulations 2011 for the food stalls at the Sangai Festival 2013 (vide letter even no.16/DO/IE-2012 (Pt.)/21 Imphal East Dated 15th November 2013). The act is mandated to lay down scientifically based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import, to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption. It was also clearly mentioned in the said letter that food stalls operating without proper license and registration will attract punishment and will be prosecuted under the Food Safety and Standards Act. A Food Safety official disclosed that there has not been any sign of cooperation or response to their letter from the Department of Tourism till date, and even after the announcement and instruction for display of the license and registration papers in front of the food stalls, only two stalls are seen displaying the documents even till the third day, result of an evident lack of communication and cooperation between the two departments of the State Government. Visitors appreciated the efforts put in by the Government towards making the festival a success, yet expressed dissatisfaction on the sanitation front and raised the question of taking responsibility for any health problems after consuming any of the foods prepared at the stalls inside the festival venue.
On the other hand, the Sangai festival venue is becoming the best place for selling tobacco products which has been banned by the state government. Some visitors had witness few stalls inside the festival complex selling pan, chewing tobacco and others openly.