Oct 8, 2018

ஆசிஃப் பிரியாணி’ கிளையில் நூல் பிடித்த அதிகாரிகள்.. ரெய்டில் சிக்கிய 2000 கிலோ அழுகிய இறைச்சி!

நேற்று முன்தினம், ஆசிஃப் பிரியாணியின் கிண்டி தலைமை கிச்சனுக்குள் புகுந்த உணவு பாதுகாப்புப் பிரிவு அதிகாரியான டாக்டர் கதிரவன் அதிரடி ரெய்டு நடத்தி சீல் வைத்தார். ஜூ.வி வாசகர் ஒருவர் கோயம்பேடு ஏரியாவில் உள்ள ஆசிஃப் பிரியாணி கடையில் தரமற்ற மட்டன் பிரியாணி சப்ளை செய்ததைக் கண்டுபிடித்து தகவல் சொல்ல… கோயம்பேடு கிளைக்கு எங்கிருந்து பிரியாணி சப்ளை ஆகிறது என்பதை விசாரித்து கிண்டியில் உள்ள அந்த ஹோட்டலின் கிச்சனில் ரெய்டு நடத்த உத்தரவிட்டிருந்தார் தமிழக அரசின் உணவு பாதுகாப்புப் பிரிவு கமிஷனர் அமுதா. “இனி அப்படி நடக்காது. தவறுகளைத் திருத்திக்கொள்கிறோம்’’ என்கிற ரீதியில் ஹோட்டல் நிர்வாகத்தினர் டாக்டர் கதிரவனிடம் கடிதம் கொடுத்துவிட்டு சீலை எடுக்கும்படி காத்திருக்கிறார்கள். இது ஒருபுறமிருக்க…
சென்னையின் பிரபல ஹோட்டல்களில் பரிமாறப்படும் மட்டன், சிக்கன் போன்ற இறைச்சிகள் தரமானதுதானா?
…என்கிற விசாரணையில் இறங்கியிருக்கிறார்கள் உணவு பாதுகாப்புப் பிரிவு அதிகாரிகள். மக்கள் புழக்கம் அதிகமுள்ள இடங்களில் செயல்படும் சில நான்வெஜ் ஹோட்டல்களில் கெட்டுப்போன இறைச்சி சப்ளை ஆவது தொடர்பாக ரகசிய விசாரணையில் அதிகாரிகள் ஈடுபட்டு வந்தனர்.
வெளியூர், வெளி மாநிலங்களிலிருந்து கெட்டுப்போன இறைச்சிகளை தெர்மோ கூல் பாக்ஸில் பேக் செய்து அனுப்பி வருகிறது ஒரு பயங்கர கும்பல். இதற்கென சென்னையின் பல பகுதிகளில் ஏஜென்டுகள் உண்டு. இவர்கள் மூலம் சந்தடியில்லாமல் குறைந்த விலைக்குக் கடைகளுக்கு இறைச்சி சப்ளை ஆகிவிடும். ஆசிஃப் ஹோட்டல் ரெய்டுக்குப் பிறகு, உணவு பாதுகாப்புப் பிரிவு அதிகாரிகள் ரகசிய வேட்டையில் இறங்கியிருக்கிறார்கள்.
நேற்று (5.10.2018) அவர்களுக்குக் கிடைத்த ரகசியத் தகவலை அடுத்து, சிந்தாதிரிப்பேட்டையில் ஓர் இடத்தில் சர்ப்ரைஸ் ரெய்டு நடத்தியிருக்கிறார்கள். 2,000 கிலோ இறைச்சி கெட்டுப்போன நிலையில் கைப்பற்றியிருக்கிறார்கள்.
சென்னை ஹோட்டல்களுக்குத் தரமற்ற இறைச்சியை சப்ளை செய்யும் நெட்வொர்க்கை ரகசியமாக நடத்திவரும் கோஷ்டிகளில் முக்கியமானது சக்திவேல் கோஷ்டி. இதுபற்றி டாக்டர் கதிரவன் நம்மிடம் கூறும்போது, “மாடு, பன்றி, கன்றுக்குட்டி… ஆகியவற்றைக் கொன்று அதன் இறைச்சியைச் சாதாரண தெர்மோ கூல் பாக்ஸில் அனுப்புகிறார்கள். இந்த மாதிரி, அண்ணாசாலை பாடிகாட் முனீஸ்வரன் கோயில் அருகே ஒரு கும்பல் கெட்டுப்போன இறைச்சியைப் பதுக்கி வைத்திருப்பதாகத் தகவல் கிடைத்து ரெய்டு நடத்தினோம். அங்கே சிக்கிய சக்திவேல் கோஷ்டியைச் சேர்ந்த ஐந்து பேரைப் பிடித்தோம். அவர்களைப் போலீஸில் சொல்லி கைது செய்து சிறையில் அடைத்தோம். அப்போது, அந்தக் கோஷ்டியிடமிருந்து 500 கிலோ இறைச்சியைக் கைப்பற்றி அழித்தோம்.
அதேபோல், இன்றும் எங்களுக்கு ரகசியத் தகவல் கிடைக்கவே சிந்தாதிரிப்பேட்டையில் ரெய்டு நடத்தினோம். அதே, சக்திவேல் கோஷ்டிதான் சிக்கியது. இறைச்சிகள் குவியலாகப் போட்டுவைக்கப்பட்டிருந்த இடத்தைப் பார்த்தால், குமட்டிக்கொண்டு வந்தது. துர்நாற்றம் வீசியது. சுகாதாரமற்ற நிலையில் கிடந்த 2,000 கிலோ இறைச்சியைக் கைப்பற்றி அழித்தோம். மனித உடலுக்குத் தீங்கு விளைவிக்கக்கூடியவை இந்த இறைச்சி. இதன் பின்னணி தெரிந்தே, சிலர் வாங்கிச்செல்கிறார்கள் என்பதைக் கேள்விப்படும்போது அதிர்ச்சியாக இருக்கிறது. ஆட்டு இறைச்சியின் விலை அதிகம். ஆனால், மாடு, பன்றி, கன்றுக்குட்டி ஆகியவற்றின் இறைச்சி விலை குறைவு. இவற்றை வெட்டி, இறைச்சியைக் கடத்தி விற்கிறார்கள். அதை வாங்குகிறவர்கள் ஆட்டு இறைச்சிக்குப் பதிலாக இவற்றைக் கலந்து சமைக்கிறார்கள். இது மிகவும் தவறானது. இந்தக் கொடுஞ்செயலை யார் செய்தாலும் தண்டனைக்கு உரியக் குற்றம்" என்றார்.
இனி பிரபல ஹோட்டல்களில் சாப்பிடப் போகும்போது உணவு தரமில்லாமலோ, சுகாதாரமற்ற சூழ்நிலை நிலவினாலோ… உடனே உணவு பாதுகாப்புத்துறை கன்ட்ரோல் ரூமுக்குத் தகவல் கொடுங்கள். நீங்கள் பார்த்த காட்சியைப் படம் பிடித்துக் குறிப்புடன் சென்னை தேனாம்பேட்டையில் மாநில உணவு பாதுகாப்பு கமிஷனர் அமுதா ஐ.ஏ.எஸ் அலுவலகத்தில் இயங்கும் கன்ட்ரோல் ரூமுக்கு (வாட்ஸ் அப்/ செல் எண் 94440 42322) தகவல் தெரிவியுங்கள்.

How FSSAI is ensuring that food offered by street vendors and online aggregators meet safety norms


Licence to Serve
The FSSAI is out to ensure that the food offered by street vendors and online aggregators meet safety and hygiene standards
Wolfing down pani-pooris being served by a street vendor is set to become more relishing if the food safety regulator has its way. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is implementing a “clean street food hub programme”. It has identified 144 street food clusters across the country that would be jointly audited with state authorities for cleanliness and hygiene. Clusters would be encouraged to comply with certain standards and those meeting the criteria would get a “clean street food hub certificate”.
A successful example of this initiative can be seen at Ahmedabad’s Kankaria Lake area. In July, the city’s picnic spot, which has 66 vendors, became India’s first Clean Street Food Hub. A plaque with the FSSAI certification is on display here, giving much comfort to the 1.2 crore people who grab a bite from here every year. “Such certified street vending zones provide safe, tasty and affordable eating options for citizens and tourists, along with the local ambience and flavour,” says Arbind Singh, national coordinator of National Association of Street Vendors of India. “This is also a way to provide better employment opportunities for many poor people.”
While it is clear this initiative will help improve the prospects of the estimated 20 lakh street food vendors in India and give a boost to tourism, the programme is only a part of FSSAI’s larger game plan. The regulator wants to ensure that all food business operators across the country adhere to certain standards and hygiene. FSSAI also wants food served in schools, offices, hospitals and even places of worship to adhere to the standards. All this is a part of the regulator redefining its role as a mere licensing and testing body to a more transparent organisation that addresses the core issues of health and nutrition in food.
In August, FSSAI launched the Eat Right Movement, aimed at getting citizens to choose healthier food and dietary options and also ensuring food safety — from procurement to consumption and disposal. The regulator plans to rope fast-moving consumer goods companies and food companies willing to reformulate products for better nutrition, so as to address common health issues in India. FSSAI CEO Pawan Kumar Agarwal says: “We have decided to redefine our role as an organisation that helps align the expectations of key stakeholders, including scientists, testing labs, food businesses, state governments and consumers.”
As part of this realignment, the regulator had in July targeted online food aggregators. It ordered that restaurants and food business operators (FBOs) not complying with its regulations be delisted from such websites. The deadline for this exercise expired in September. FSSAI will now review the progress. “We believe that food safety and public health issues are on the top of the agenda not just for us, but also all industry players and online platforms such as Swiggy and Zomato. They wouldn’t want to risk their reputation because of non-compliant FBOs,” Agarwal says.
FSSAI issued the directive after receiving several complaints on the quality of food being supplied by FBOs listed on such platforms. Food aggregators seem to have taken the cue. Zomato, for instance, has delisted hundreds of restaurants across the 34 cities where it offers its services. “Most of our high-order volume restaurant partners already have an FSSAI licence or have applied for one,” says Mohit Gupta, CEO, food delivery business, Zomato. “We have delisted those who have failed to furnish licences. We are certain this move will not have an impact on our order volumes.”
Recognising the huge logistics challenge in cracking down on FBOs, FSSAI had extended the deadline for food aggregators to delist errant operators to the end of September. “Though all of them took up the issue seriously, we realised there were 40,000 to 50,000 restaurants on these platforms. So we decided to extend the deadline for better compliance,” says Agarwal.
After a preliminary review, FSSAI officials say they have found 90% compliance by the online platforms. They hope this initiative will also be as successful as the Kankaria Lake project.
The challenges, however, are much bigger when it comes to street food vendors. FSSAI has to first ensure that the vendors have access to clean water and a garbage disposal system, among others. All this means coordinating with multiple civic and state agencies — which is easier said than done. “Our project to bring street food vendors under our certification was started last year,” says Agarwal. “We started with a massive training programme in Delhi, covering 23,000 vendors in 40 locations. Our learning was that to bring in sustainable change and improvement in street food hygiene, we have to go beyond just training individuals and providing them with gloves and aprons, etc. We have to also work with different authorities to give better street lighting, drainage, garbage removal and safe water to the vendors.”
The outreach in Delhi has helped Dal Chand, who has been selling alu-tikkis and alu-chaat in east Delhi’s Mayur Vihar Phase 1 market for over two decades. Last year, he was trained at an FSSAI centre and got a certification, which he displays on his food cart. “I have been strictly following the hygiene and safe-food standards. It has helped me sell more,” says Chand, who had a daily turnover of Rs 6,000-8,000 during festival season.
Going beyond the streets, FSSAI has also proactively focussed on restaurants and eateries, and held regular discussions with industry bodies such as the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) and the Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India.
President of NRAI and CEO of Beer Café Rahul Singh says: “A major change is being introduced to ensure awareness, education and self-regulation — not only for food safety, but also towards a healthier lifestyle. For this, FSSAI has in the past 2-3 years taken steps to initiate multiple schemes across the entire food chain.
The very recent voluntary initiatives started for the industry include serving safety and hygiene rating, and menu labelling for restaurants.” These initiatives will improve food safety standards and will drive more players towards the organised sector, he adds.
FSSAI’s engagement with stakeholders has been in an inclusive manner. “Given the size and complexity of the food chain in India, many initiatives were introduced on a voluntary basis. Capacity building within the industry is being encouraged before bringing in rules and regulations,” Singh says.
Earlier this year, for example, FSSAI shared a proposal with NRAI members to declare calorie count of the food they serve. Instead of making it mandatory right away, the proposal is being rolled out on a voluntary basis across the larger restaurant chains for now. While it would be tough for smaller standalone restaurants to introduce the calorie count measure within a tight deadline, NRAI members say the step may attract more health-conscious customers in the long run.
The regulator has also partnered with various FMCG companies to ensure the “eat right” campaign is successful. “Our eat healthy campaign, with the tagline aaj se thoda kam, aims at reduction of high fat, sugar and salt foods in the diet of Indians,” says Agarwal.
Kellogg India is one of the companies that has pledged to reduce sugar by 10-15% and salt by 10-30% in its products by 2021 as part of the programme. “Full marks to FSSAI in taking the higher ground and initiating a collaborative dialogue between industry players and government bodies to achieve a healthier and more nutritious diet for Indians,” says Mohit Anand, MD, Kellogg India and South Asia.
The biggest challenge is getting the various government departments and ministries — including the food processing ministry, department of consumer affairs and the commerce ministry — to coordinate and ensure the plan is a success. As of today, however, most industry players say FSSAI is on their team and are willing to work together for a healthier India.

A street food festival was organised in Delhi in January where vendors served over 300 types of cuisine from across India. Participants were sensitised on safe-food practices, hygiene and sanitation






Ahmedabad’s Kankaria Lake area, which has 66 vendors, has become India’s first Clean Street Food Hub

2 fined for selling eatables without licence

CHANDIGARH: A district court here made two persons stand till the rising of the court and imposed a fine of Rs 20,000 on each for selling eatables without a food licence. 
They were held guilty and convicted under Sections 26 (2)(iii), 31(1), punishable under Section 63 of the Food Safety and Standards Act. The convicted persons have been identified as Aditya Soni, manager of M/S Tavern (Satya Paul and Co.) and Satya Paul, contractor of the company.
On May 31, 2017, a food safety officer during an inspection at the business premises of M/S Tavern (Satya Paul and Co.), SCO No. 95, Sector 17D, Chandigarh, had found manager Aditya Soni selling food articles like packaged drinking water, carbonated water, peanuts, prepared chicken, prepared paneer etc. for human consumption by way of public sale without a food license.
The food inspector challanged the accused for selling the aforesaid food articles for human consumption without having a food license under Section 26 (2) (iii) and 31(1) of the Food Safety & Standards Act 2006 punishable under Section 63 .
The defence counsel contended that no independent witness was associated at the time of the challaning the accused. Also, it was argued that neither any sample of food article was taken by the FSO nor raw material for preparation were seized and entire case has been falsely foisted upon the accused. It was also stated that no raid has ever taken place and the accused never sold any of the alleged food articles to any customer and that the he has been falsely implicated in the case.
Prosecution contended that since the accused were challaned for selling packaged drinking water, carbonated water, peanuts, prepared chicken, prepared paneer etc. without having a food licence, there was no requirement for taking sample of the food articles. After the arguments, the court held both the accused guilty and imposed a fine of Rs 20,000 on each.

How safe is green?

The green fresh vegetables available in the market everybody knows contains high contents of pesticides, but it has now emerged that more harmful chemicals are present in alarmingly high doses across the country. Few years back a report by the Agriculture Ministry showed that there has been an almost two-fold increase in the number of samples having pesticides above the permitted Maximum Residue Level (MRL) in vegetables, fruits, meat and spices. 
The major culprits were green chilli, cauliflower, cabbage, brinjal, okra, tomato, capsicum and coriander leaves. The samples were picked up from Mandis, retail shops and also from farm gates. The situation was equally alarming in this part of the region. A large number of vegetables grown included spinach, coriander leaves, capsicum and okra and a large part of vegetables available have high presence of pesticides. 
Recently, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) had proposed regulations for heavy metal content in a whole range of food items including vegetables to hold traders accountable and also to persuade Indian farmers to do responsible farming and adopt good practices. In developed countries, consumers get safe food, including fresh vegetables. 
Once these standards are in place to carry out tests instantly and disseminate the information to people, that will create an atmosphere where everyone in the production and supply chain will behave responsibly. Interestingly, the Agriculture Ministry’s report showed that the number of samples having high dose of pesticide was more in samples picked up from Mandis than the ones collected from the farm gate. 
Consuming pesticide-laden fruits and vegetables for a long period of time can prove fatal affecting the nervous system and other important organs such as liver and kidney. Food wasn’t always so scary. For most of human history, we ate our meats, grains, fruits and vegetables pretty much the way we found them. Oh sure, as our species got more sophisticated, we cooked, ground, dried and aged things a bit. But in the past 60 years, our foodstuffs have changed dramatically, and not all for the better.