Unsafe platter: Eateries refuse to register February 4 Deadline For Food & Drugs Admin To Act

Chennai: The hygiene behind the food we eat remains a concern as a majority of food operators – hotels, restaurants, canteens, hostels, roadside eateries, dairy shops, tea shops, meat shops, juice shops and vegetable and fruit vendors – in the city are yet to enroll with the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) even though the February 4 deadline is less than three weeks away. 

The Food Safety and Standard Act 2006 has set new licensing and registration norms for food business units in the country. Though the act was implemented in August 2011, the deadline was extended to February 4 this year. The government said that the act aimed at ensuring food vendors observed better standards of hygiene. 

Eateries with an annual turnover of more than Rs 12 lakh should obtain a licence, and those below this limit should register themselves with the food safety officer, the law says. FDA data shows only 9,256 of more than 23,000 food vendors here have enrolled so far. Of this, 5,423 have got the licence and 3,833 have registered with the department. 

FDA officials have identified 23,769 food operators in the city. They say they would take action against illegal vendors across the city after the deadline. Vendorswho fail to get enrolled with the department may have to shut shops or shell out penalties ranging from Rs25,000 to Rs10 lakh or imprisonment up to six months or both . While the one-year registration would cost vendors Rs100, the licence costs Rs2,000 upwards. A senior official said there would not be any extension of the February 4 deadline. “The food operators can also apply on the website (www.tnhealth.org/FoodSafety_Registration.htm). But there are no provisions for online payment of fees,” the officer said. 

Tamil Nadu Hotels Association secretary R Srinivasan has sought an extension of the deadline. “The government is yet to set up adequate machineries for implementing the rule.The government has not consulted hotel owners before drafting the act.” 

Officials said that quality of raw materials for food preparation, transportation and storage of food items, and location of street food stalls will be checked under the new guidelines. 

National Association of Street Vendors of India secretary V Mageshvaran said the act was not suited for local conditions. 

Marina crackdown 

The Chennai Corporation on Monday seized substandard soft drinks, snacks, oil and water sachets at the Marina beach. A 75-member team inspected 536 food stalls and seized 130 kg of unhygienic meat and fish, 17 bubble tops, 1,200 drinking water sachets, 17 bottles of juices, jam and sauce.