Do not portray all eateries in bad light over isolated incidents: Kerala Hotels and Restaurant Association

It also said that the alleged action of Food Safety officials of terming all food stored in freezers of hotels, which operate according to the norms, as “expired” and publicising the same, was not a lawful measure.

The association said that such actions by officials in the name of inspections should stop as it would lead to destroying the livelihood of thousands of people who work in hotels and restaurants.

Those who have violated the norms should be punished, it added.

Current system is inadequate

The letter written by the KHIU said that the continued incidents of food poisoning in the state are because the “current system is grossly inadequate”.

They also pointed out the lack of proper provisions in the state’s law to conduct routine inspections and the loopholes in the prescribed criteria for opening food stalls.

It said in the letter, “In cities, towns and rural areas, most of the food-distribution establishments operate in unsanitary conditions. The government has not prescribed clear criteria for opening food stalls.”

The union added, “We are going through a situation where there is no need for legal liability to start businesses.”

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The letter also said that there are over 5,000 trading and distribution establishments operating in five panchayats in a single Assembly constituency in the state.

“In a year, a food safety officer in a legislative constituency is not able to inspect even 25 percent of the businesses of that area. Due to this, institutions that cook and distribute unhygienic food continue to operate without any sense of responsibility. Moreover, health checkup is not legal for the labourers working in the state, especially for migrant workers,” said the KHIU in the letter.

It added that in states like Tamil Nadu, health inspectors are assigned the responsibility of food safety.

As there are over 4,500 health inspectors equipped to ensure food safety in the state, the union requested the government to assign these inspectors to investigate food-safety licensing and registration, as well as the responsibility to conduct surveillance samples of the food.

36 establishments closed down

Meanwhile, the Food Safety Department on Sunday and Monday inspected a total of 641 eateries across the state and of them 36 establishments were closed down for operating in unsanitary conditions or without licenses, a health department release said.

Notices were also issued to 188 eateries, it said.

The KHRA also referred to the suspected food poisoning incident reported a few days ago from Kasaragod district of the state in connection with the death of a young woman and said that without the actual cause of her demise being scientifically proven, there was a campaign to malign hotels across the state based on conjectures and speculation.

The police and food safety officials had on Sunday said that the woman’s death was not due to food poisoning.

(With inputs from PTI)