In a move to ensure cleanliness and public health safety measurement in the wake of cases regarding spitting on edible item in various parts of the State, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday directed eateries across the State to prominently display the name and address of their operator, proprietor and manager, install CCTV cameras and ensure that its chefs and waiters wear masks and gloves to ensure cleanliness.
“Now whether it is a chef or a waiter, they will have to wear masks and gloves and it will be mandatory to install CCTV in hotels/restaurants,” the Chief Minister said.
According to a statement issued by the State Government, the names and addresses of the operator, proprietor, manager, and other relevant personnel should be prominently displayed at food establishments.
In this context, necessary amendments have to be made to the Food Safety and Standards Act to ensure compliance. The Chief Minister also ordered a thorough investigation and verification of all hotels, dhabas, restaurants, and eateries in the State to verify the purity of their food.
The directives come against the backdrop of recent controversies in the State around a video clip that showed a teenager spitting on flatbread at a Saharanpur eatery which led to the arrest of its owner. In Ghaziabad, a juice vendor was arrested on charges of mixing urine in the juices he served.
The UP Chief Minister , during the meeting, said that the presence of human waste in food items is not only disgusting but poses a serious health risk and highlighted the need for strict punitive action against those found guilty of adulterating food with harmful substances.
“In recent times, incidents of adulterating food items like juice, dal, and roti with human waste, inedible, or dirty substances have been reported from various parts of the country. These acts are atrocious, posing a serious threat to public health. Such malicious practices are completely unacceptable. To prevent such occurrences in Uttar Pradesh, concrete measures must be put in place to ensure food safety and protect the health of the common man,” read the statement.
“It is essential to thoroughly investigate food establishments such as dhabas and restaurants. A state-wide intensive campaign should be conducted to verify all employees, including the operators of these establishments. This verification process must be completed swiftly by a joint team comprising the Food Safety and Drug Administration, Police, and Local Administration,” it added.
“CCTV cameras should be installed in food establishments such as dhabas, hotels, and restaurants. Surveillance should cover not only the areas where customers dine, but also other parts of the establishment. It is imperative that every operator ensures the security of the CCTV footage and makes it available to the police or local administration upon request,” it said.
Similar directives by governments of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh that mandated eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display the name and contact details of their owner and staff earlier this year were put on hold by the Supreme Court on July 22 as an interim measure.
