Clean Street Food Hub yet to take shape in Tiruchi city

Clean Street Food Hub, conceived by the Food Safety and Drug Administration Department several months ago to ensure a clean dining experience for consumers, is yet to materialise in Tiruchi.

It was with an emphasis on hygiene that the department came up with the idea of establishing a Clean Street Food Hub last August. It had initially toyed with the idea of locating the hub near Chathiram Bus Stand. Since the vendors were too scattered around the bus stand, the department subsequently decided to set up the hub on V.O.C Road, which is adjacent to it.

As per the plan, the officials identified about 40 vendors on V.O.C Road and around Central Bus Stand. Ensuring the use of quality ingredients in the preparation of food, enhancing the personal hygiene of cooks and suppliers, ensuring the preparation of food in a clean and hygienic environment and standard mechanism to dispose of food waste and leftovers were among the key focus areas of the initiative.

An authorised agency of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is supposed to conduct pre- and post-audit of the street vendors operating along V.O.C Road and other locations around Central Bus Stand as part of the initiative. The idea is to enable the vendors to rectify the shortcomings identified in the pre-audit.

Though the Food Safety and Drug Administration Department is said to have taken some steps, there is much more to be done, it is learnt.

R. Ramesh Babu, Designated Officer, Food Safety and Drug Administration, Tiruchi, told The Hindu that a few rounds of training had been given to the vendors, cooks and servers at eateries along V.O.C Road. They had been sensitised to using quality ingredients and personal hygiene. Certificates had also been issued to the vendors.

More measures were in the offing. Supply of Reverse Osmosis water, proper lighting, and road were among the proposed facilities to be established as part of the project. By sourcing funds from sponsors, 10 uniformed glass-covered pushcarts had been readied. Steps would be expedited to launch the initiative as early as possible, Dr. Ramesh Babu added.