Think of visiting a hotel or restaurant and being greeted by a smiley that tells you how good the place is!
Customers in Kozhikode will soon have this experience as the city corporation is planning to grade hotels and restaurants based on the facilities provided.
According to K.V. Baburaj, chairman, standing committee on health, Kozhikode Corporation, the hotels will be grouped into three categories: those providing food and lodging; restaurants; and those with less than 35 chairs.
The grading will be based on parameters such as quality of drinking water, hygiene in kitchen, cleanliness of toilets and surroundings, and the health benefits being provided to the staff. As many labourers at hotels and restaurants are migrant workers, it will be examined if they are provided health cards. The grade of each hotel or restaurant will be exhibited in the form of a smiley at the entrance.
Health inspectors, health supervisors, and staff from the health wing of the corporation will inspect hotels before grading their performance. Mr. Baburaj said that the health staff of the corporation would be trained in how to go about the inspection soon.
Kozhikode is a melting pot of sorts as far as cuisine is concerned as food cultures from across the State and the country find resonance here along with Arabian and Chinese food. Health officials believe that the venture would help people standardise their choices.
R.S. Gopakumar, health officer of the corporation, said that the project was conceived and a framework prepared six months ago. It was passed at a meeting of the corporation council recently. “If all goes well, it will begin in June,” he added.
