Corporation fails to obtain license from food safety board for Kovai's Amma canteens

COIMBATORE: In yet another case of double standards, the city municipal corporation has failed to obtain the mandatory license from the food safety department for its highly successful Amma canteens. The civic body has not even bothered to apply for the license even with the extended deadline for the same coming to a close tomorrow (February 4). The same is the case with the three slaughter houses of the civic body in its limits as there has been no attempt so far to apply for license or registration for these facilities as per the provisions of Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Business Operators) 2011.

"We have not received any application so far from Coimbatore corporation for issuing license to Amma canteens and the slaughter houses in the city," said R Kathiravan, Designated Officer, Food Safety and Drug Administration Wing, Coimbatore.

As per the law, all food business operators and related processes are expected to either get registered or apply for license from the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India by February 4, 2013. The civic body's laidback attitude comes at a time when more than 1179 temporary/ permanent food stall owners, 932 mobile food vendors, 256 home based canteens, 1206 petty tea shops below an annual turn over 12 lakh have got themselves registered with the department.

"We will look into the matter," said S Sivarasu, Deputy Commissioner, Coimbatore Corporation.

The registration and license provisions are being made mandatory to ensure there is no compromise on the quality of food offered for public consumption. The corporation has 10 Amma canteens in the city and each canteen serves around 1200 idlis and 300 servings of sambhar rice and curd rice on a daily basis. The corporation has also not applied for license for its three slaughter houses at Ukkadam, Sathy Road and Podanur. There are two more corporation slaughter houses at Singanallur and Sowripalayam that are not functioning at the moment.

City corporation sources claimed that they would apply for the license before the deadline.