Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], August 26 (ANI): Karnataka Health Minister UT Khader on Wednesday said a meeting will be held within a week with hoteliers, clubs, canteens and other establishments where several lapses were found during food safety raids. He said the government will soon issue a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and provide training to hoteliers, kitchen staff and caterers to ensure food safety and hygiene.
Speaking to the reporters, Khader said, "A meeting will be held within a week related to hoteliers, clubs, Indira canteens and other places where many mishaps were found at the time of raids. We will also give them an SOP soon. We have also planned to give three days' training to hoteliers, kitchens, including caterers. Indira canteens have to be looked at keenly by the officials; we are also looking into it."
The minister said food safety checks will continue across all establishments, including clubs, hotels, restaurants and canteens, irrespective of the section of society they cater to.
"We want to show that every society, every single section, should be checked. We want to show that everywhere we are concerned about the people. Whether it is a club, hotel, restaurant, canteen or a small hotel, that is not the problem. Human beings are all the same. The customers who go there and the committee members of that association should know what is going on in their kitchen also," Khader said.
On inspections at premium clubs and establishments, Khader said, "All the clubs we are looking at. For us, whether it is posh people or common people, everyone has got only one life and one body. So it affects everyone. When they come to know that a particular club has this problem, the association people and members will become alert. They will look into how to keep the kitchen clean and hygienic, and they will take managers to task. This should happen."
Khader said the inspection drive will continue and added that a barcode system has been introduced for people to register complaints. Khader also said food company Nestle has come forward to provide training to more than 1,000 street food vendors.
"Nothing like that, sir. It is a continuous process. We don't know when and where officers will go. But daily, we also can't do it. So for that, we have done a barcode. I told the people, if any doubt is there, please scan and send it. Officers will go. If they don't go, we will ask the officer why they have not gone. It will continue. That is why we have given the barcode. Now we can't go to each and every place. Wherever we get a complaint, we will go."
The Food Safety Division conducted a special inspection drive on Tuesday at various clubs in Bengaluru City and Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) limits following the directions of Health and Family Welfare Minister UT Khader.
During the inspections, teams found several violations, including unhygienic conditions, cockroach infestations in food storage areas, lack of cleanliness and sanitation, improper food storage, violations related to food labelling, deficiencies in staff hygiene, absence of medical certificates for food handlers and expired food products.
Notices have been issued to all the clubs where violations were detected. Samples of drinking water and used cooking oil that appeared suspicious were collected and sent to the Government Food Laboratory for further analysis. Further legal action will be initiated based on the laboratory reports under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the Food Safety Commissionerate said. (ANI)
Karnataka Health Minister Khader to hold meeting with clubs, hotels, canteens after food safety lapses found in raids
