Food business operators asked to obtain licence by August 4

Food business operators in the district were asked to register themselves with the Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration Department by August 4 and obtain the licence for operating.

Mandatory

A press release from Collector V. Dakshinamoorthy said that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) had made it mandatory under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 for the food business operators to register themselves and operate in the district.

The Act was implemented in 2011 and operators were asked to obtain licence by February 4, 2012, but was extended over a period of time. “Finally, the operators have been asked to obtain the licence by August 8,” he added.

Food operators include food manufacturers, stockiest, transporters, tea shops, bakeries, roadside eateries, meat sellers, fruit and vegetable sellers, hotels, canteens in educational institutions, marriage halls, people who sell flour, provision shops, distributors, sago manufacturers, jaggery and sugar manufacturers, oil producers and sellers, private milk storage companies, flour mills, persons involved in export and import, cold storage units, wholesale distributors, manufacturers of beverages and other food business.

The operators whose annual turnover was more than Rs. 12 lakh should submit applications with the District Designated Officer at the Collectorate where as operators whose annual turnover was less than Rs. 12 lakh should submit application to the Food Safety Inspectors in their area.

The Collector said that online forms were available at the portalwww.fssai.cbmand asked operators to utilise the chance as this was the final opportunity for obtaining licence.

Further details can be had from the department at 04286-281242.