News Mania / Piyal Chatterjee / 17th October 2024
The Uttarakhand government has issued new food safety guidelines to the hospitality and food industry, including mandatory photo IDs and protective gear for food handlers, cameras in commercial kitchens, boards that clearly indicate whether the meat sold is “halal” or “jhatka,” and heavy fines of up to Rs 1 lakh for violations.
As the festival season approaches, the state’s Food Safety and Drug Administration has issued the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s orders. It requires food handlers to wear photo identification and imposes additional duties on food vendors, including hotels, restaurants, dhabas, and meat dealers. The recommendations are issued at a time when health concerns have been raised by instances of food adulteration and manipulation.
Notably, two individuals were detained by the Dehradun Police last week for spitting in a teapot in Mussoorie. Additionally, it follows weeks after the government of neighboring Uttar Pradesh mandated that restaurants “prominently” display to patrons the names of “the operator, proprietor, manager, and other relevant personnel.”Masks, gloves, and headgear are required by SOP to maintain hygienic standards. In order to guarantee constant surveillance, CCTV cameras are required in kitchen areas.Offenders will face fines ranging from Rs 25,000 to Rs 1 lakh. According to the report, routine sampling and inspections are being carried out throughout the state to assist maintain food safety regulations.
“Recent incidents of adulteration involving human waste and other contaminants in food and drinks have surfaced in different parts of the state. Such practices are in blatant violation of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006,” the guidelines, signed by Uttarakhand’s Health Secretary and FDA Commissioner R Rajesh Kumar, said, stressing the importance of controlling unhygienic habits such as smoking, spitting, or scratching body parts while handling food.
To guarantee improved hygiene in food enterprises throughout Uttarakhand, the SOP incorporates a number of crucial steps. It is imperative that food establishments refrain from hiring people with infectious disorders for food-related tasks.A list of employees and their medical certifications must always be kept on file by operators in accordance with the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Business Operators) Regulations, 2011.
Additionally, the SOP mandates that food firms keep accurate daily records of production, raw material usage, and sales, display their licenses in conspicuous places, and forbid the contamination of food items with hazardous materials. Furthermore, food establishments operating without the required licenses are required to quickly adhere to licensing laws; any caught in violation will face severe action.
