Giving support to food safety squad’s crackdown against sellers of unhygienic food, members of leading consumer rights organisations in the district are planning to launch protests in front of the eateries of frequent offenders to create awareness among the public about such outlets. They also demand blacklisting of such establishments.
Functionaries of the Kozhikode District Consumer Protection Forum say there is a need to express public sentiments more strongly against the trade of rotten food to discourage people behind such ventures. The action on the part of checking squads alone would never be sufficient to isolate them in the industry,” they point out.
According to them, the mode of protests will be finalised within a week after holding discussions with consumer rights activists representing various organisations in the district.
Association’s stand
The alleged reluctance on the part of hotel and restaurant owners’ association in taking action against offenders has also irked consumer rights organisations.
“We had issued warnings multiple times to some of the traders frequently exposed for the trade of unhygienic food. As there is no mechanism to ensure compliance of norms, we want the public to respond on noticing such incidents,” said a State-level functionary of the Kerala Hotel and Restaurant Owners Association. He said the business would become more professional and competitive with the public boycotting such shops.
So far, surprise inspections by food safety squads have resulted in the temporary closure of 10 shops in Kozhikode district. This was apart from the show-cause notice served on more than 100 establishments for violation of sanitation and hygiene norms.
