SRINAGAR: To tackle the issue of food safety and quality control in the valley, the vigorous licensing has been put in place by the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) which has made it mandatory for all the food business units to follow the FSSAI (Food Safety & Standards Authority of India) regulations or face action.
The deadline for the new registration or renewal of all the small as well as big food business operators has been set as February 4. The SMC will take action against the food units which do not have a proper updated licence to provide any food items to the consumers and will serve show-cause notices to them and action will be taken accordingly.
Health Officer Srinagar Municipal Corporation Dr Shafqat Khan said there will be penalties and prosecutions for the violators whether that is a manufacturer who sells any article of food himself or a petty retailer, hawker, itinerant vendor or temporary stall holder who distributes foods, restaurant owner or an hotelier. “After Feb 4, things will become bad for those who don’t follow the guidelines. We want to make a database of all the food businesses so that they can function under proper licensing. So far we have issues 5000 licenses till the end of the December and we have collected 31, 44, 900 license registration fees for the current financial year,” he said.
The SMC health officer said that they are doing regular awareness programs to educate the people and food business operators. “Most of the food units already have licensing but they have not renewed that is why we have but the Feb 4 as cut-off date and the violators won’t be allowed to function. This system would streamline all the business units and people doing the food business would be held accountable so that they no food adulteration takes place,” Dr Khan said, adding that one of the prime purposes of these conditions is to ensure that the food business operator maintains sanitary and hygienic standards.
Moving toward a healthier and more sustainable food system, the campaign has been set up the FSSAI throughout the country to create an information network so that the consumers are well acquainted regarding the information of the food that they consume to ensure the food safety. “We are happy that the renewal of the licensing has started. But, the process should be transparent and no such unit shall be allowed to function that doesn’t ensure the hygienic and nutritional food supplies,” said, Ghulam Ahmed Kawa, a food operator. “Those who compromise on the quality of the food creates a bad name for others who work genuinely, so government should take every step to main the food standards,’ he added.
As per the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the food units are required to register themselves and seek licences from the concerned implementing agencies, which checks various factors such as hygiene, material used for cooking and quality before giving its consent. The Act also aims to establish a single reference point for all matters relating to food safety and standards, by moving from multi- level, multi- departmental control to a single line of command.
Faiz Bhakshi, Kashmir Hotels and Restaurant Owners Federation (KHAROF) said that the proper licensing of all the food units is a healthy step wherein every food manufacturer or retailer would be held accountable. He, however, expressed his fear over the implementation of the food safety act in the valley keeping in view the available infrastructure and other supportive environment. “There are no second thoughts that every consumer should be saved from the contaminated food and the sale and production of substandard food products should be stopped. But, at the same time the authorities should take the care of the overall hygiene of the system, the environment without any selective approaches,” he said. “The regulations of the act can’t be made specific alone to the suppliers and manufacturers,” the KHAROF president added.
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