Chennai: Setting a new example, food safety commissioner P. Amudha on Monday ordered the closure of a restaurant operating inside the Periyar government bus terminus at Mamandur, near Chengalpet.
The move by the top official has received good response from bus passengers and commuters now want a similar action across state targeting private restaurants located inside government bus stands.
The emergency prohibition order by P. Amudha said that the Thanthai Periyar Unavagam located inside Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation Bus Terminus Mamandur, Kancheepuram, is functioning in unhygienic condition causing health risk to consumers.
Further, inspection by the designated officer found that health risk has been identified for food consumers and public visiting the restaurant. Under the powers delegated in section 43(2) of the food safety department and standards Act 2006, the commissioner of food safety hereby prohibit the functioning of the unavagam in TNSTC bus terminus with immediate effect until further orders, the order copy read.
“There is a nexus between the state transport department crew and the hoteliers and this enables passengers to settle for substandard food during travel,” said a transport department insider who is also a trade union leader with CITU. The government and the trade unions also keep silent on the issue as restaurants are located inside government bus stands and a few transport employees with vested interest do stop the bus at selected eat-outs so that the crew is “well taken care,” said the union leader.
Usually the food safety department does not target hotels and canteens located inside government properties particularly bus stands and most these food outlets enjoy the support of local politicians.
There are at least more than 300 such food outlets operated inside government bus terminus and this is the first time that the food safety department has targeted a hotel inside government bus terminus and this act has to be
encouraged, added the transport department insider.
