The Hindu : BMP plans food courts in all wards

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jun 08, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore

BMP plans food courts in all wards

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE June 7. In an effort to check footpath vending and close down eateries functioning in unhygienic surroundings, the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) is planning to set up food courts in all the 100 wards of the City.

Surveys on the number of footpath vendors in each ward are being conducted and the area corporators will be asked to identify sites for the courts, the Chairman of Standing Committee on Health, Syed Jaleel, has said.

Addressing presspersons here on Saturday, Mr. Jaleel said to begin with, a food court would be set up in Koramangala.

There were over a 100 pavement vendors in the area and a site was being identified to relocate them.

A resolution in this regard had been adopted by the committee and forwarded to the BMP Commissioner, M.R.Sreenivas Murthy, for implementation at the earliest, he said.

The food courts would have all facilities such as water, toilets, and proper lighting. The BMP would issue trade licences to the vendors.

This would not only put an end to footpath vending but also give an aesthetic look to the City, he pointed out.

If there was no land available in a particular ward to open the courts, the BMP would not hesitate to take back the land leased to private parties, Mr. Jaleel said.

Explaining the committee's other resolutions, adopted in the past six months, he said a well-equipped 30-bed hospital had been proposed at the BMP head office.

This idea was to help people of all sections during emergency, he said and appealed to the commissioner to ensure their speedy implementation.

Notices to canteens

The Health Committee has directed the BMP health officers to inspect and find out if all canteens and eateries functioning in schools and colleges have obtained a trade licence from the civic body.

"Hundreds of students consume food at these canteens and we do not know whether the food sold there is of good quality. The officers have been asked to issue notices to those who have not obtained the licences. This is to ensure that children eat good food," Mr. Jaleel said.

The other proposals include construction of over 1,000 urinals with separate facilities for women, modern maternity hospitals, and cermatoria with better facilities, dumping yards for the garbage, and a park at the BMP head office.

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