No plan yet to ensure food security in Kochi

Kochi: Despite the beginning of the Sabarimala pilgrim season, civic bodies, the food safety authority and other stakeholders in the district are yet to chalk out plans to ensure hygiene and quality of food and drinking water served in hotels.

During the last couple of years, the Kochi Corporation had been conducting regular inspections, especially on vegetarian hotels and eateries during the pilgrim season. However, this year, the civic body has no plans to conduct any routine raid.

“The deliberate attempts of a section of people to foil the recently launched health flying squad, which is assigned to raid hotels, resulted in unnecessary issues with hotel owners. Complaints against the two hotels near the north railway station are fabricated. Hence, the health department has decided not to conduct routine inspection. We’ll raid hotels only in case of specific complaints,” said T.K. Ashraf, corporation health committee chairman.

Moreover, the lack of coordination and conflicts between various agencies is also affecting regular inspections on eateries. “We are not against inspection. But, officials of different agencies such as civic bodies, health department and food safety authority are creating unnecessary issues in the name of raids.

The state food safety commissioner has officially informed us that they are the only agency authorised to check food quality,” said M.P Shiju, district committee president of Kerala Hotel and Restaurant Association.

The KHRA district committee also threatened that hotels in the district would be forced to close down if frequent raids by unauthorised agencies continue.