Feb 13, 2015
Amma canteen at Salem GH awaits inauguration
The Amma canteen at Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital in Salem.
‘Hard-earned money spent on travel, treatment’
The Amma canteen, constructed at a cost of Rs. 1.9 crore on Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital premises, is lying idle for the past five months.
Since it is a referral hospital for patients from five districts, over 10,000 people visit the hospital everyday. But only two canteens serve the needs of the people. Hence, to cater to the needs of the visitors, the foundation stone was laid in July and work was completed in September-end.
The spacious dining hall could accommodate more than 100 people at any time. But the facility created in three months is lying idle and is waiting for inauguration.
On the other hand, it was alleged that inferior quality ingredients were used in preparing food material and sold in the existing two canteens. Also, when officials of Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration Department inspected the canteens on Wednesday, sub-standard items were used in preparing food.
Also, the food is not prepared in hygienic environment and unprotected drinking water is served to the people. Poor people who visit the hospital said that spending too much on food is not possible for them and hence demanded that the Amma canteen be opened immediately. “Our hard earned money is spent on travelling and on treatment. If the canteen is opened, we can get the food at affordable cost”, they added.
Corporation officials pointed out that orders have to come from Chennai for running the canteen.
Food safety director seeks report on slaughterhouse
Even as the Directorate of Health Food Safety and Standard has deputed a food safety officer to inspect the private slaughterhouse at Shoghi and asked him to submit a status report of health and hygiene there, the private operator has said he is being targeted as he had given a competition to the recently started slaughterhouse in the city.
The Directorate deputed the officer to inspect the private slaughterhouse, Goels Food World, after a five members’ joint inspection committee had highlighted the pathetic conditions at the slaughterhouse recently.
“We have taken cognizance of the slaughterhouse and asked the food safety officer to inspect it for health and hygiene and submit the report immediately,” said HS Rana, Additional Director and in charge-Director, Health and FSS. “We will take action as and when the report is submitted,” he added.
On the other hand, operator of Goels Food World Naveen Geol said certain officials in the Municipal Corporation had targeted him as he had been giving better services to shopkeepers in the city and other areas ever since the MC operated its own slaughterhouse in May last year. “We have a valid licence from the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India and has been operating it since 2006 as per norms,” he claimed.
He said, “They have a veterinarian, cull dead and unfit birds, the staff wear gears and use a boiler and transport chicken in crates. We have a small treatment plant and are now setting up a bigger plant worth Rs 24 lakh to overhaul the unit.”
Goel said the family had been into this business since 1937. “The MC is targeting as we sell chickens at cheaper rates to consumers in the city,” he charged.
On the other hand, MC veterinary officer Dr Arun Sirckek said an inspection of his unit was carried out twice with officials from animal husbandry, MC and pollution control board after the director urban development constituted the committee for the slaughterhouse after the outbreak of flu in the region.
“We are asking the operator to sell certified food in the MC area. The slaughterhouse falls under the jurisdiction of animal husbandry, not MC,” said MC officials.
Director, Animal Husbandry, Dr KS Rana said they had sought a report on the slaughterhouse as it ran a commercial venture and should employ a full-time registered veterinarian.
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