No hotel or ‘dhaba’ owner in Uttar Pradesh would be spared in case of any report of spitting or urinating in food items comes to light.
There have been reports in the recent past that members of Muslim community, who own a number of eateries across the state, serve food items contaminated with human waste – spit and urine.
To deal with the situation, the Yogi Adityanath government has introduced a series of stringent regulations. They will prevent the inhuman practice and fix accountability in case a food item is found adulterated.
However, some in the community had defended spitting in the eatables, saying it was their way of blessing the food, said the reports that went viral on social media platforms.
“Adding human waste to food items like juice, lentils, and bread is abhorrent and unacceptable,” the UP CM was quoted as saying in the media reports.
According to the new guidelines issued by the government, both chefs and waiters will now be required to wear masks and gloves while on duty, and it will be mandatory for hotels and restaurants to install CCTV cameras.
Reports said, the state government is also considering amendments to the Food Safety and Standards Act, which will make it mandatory for eateries to prominently display key information about their operators and maintain rigorous hygiene practices.
The move comes in the wake of the on-going row over the alleged contaminated Tirupati ladoos,
To enhance accountability, operators, proprietors, and managers have been asked to clearly display their names and addresses at the food and drink establishments.
According to reports, there will be an extensive inspection campaign, where police verification of every staff member all roadside ‘dhabas’ and high-end restaurants will be mandatory.
Joint teams from the Food Safety and Drug Administration, the police, and the local authorities will oversee these checks, ensuring compliance of the newly laid-out rules to maintain hygiene standards.
“Public health cannot be compromised,” Adityanath said, adding those responsible for food contamination or unhygienic practices will face the harshest penalties.
Last week, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had accused the previous YSR Congress (YSRCP) government of using animal fat and substandard ingredients in making the Tirupati ladoos.