Get registered or get jailed: Health dept to eateries

All eateries and hotels, including pushcarts engaged in selling food items across the state, have to register with the health department before August 4 to avoid penalty.

The registration is mandatory under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006. If they fail to comply, they will face a six-month jail term besides a penalty that may be extended up to Rs5 lakh.

“We will initiate penal action against those who fail to register themselves or avail of a licence from us,’’ said Anjum Parveez, commissioner, health, family welfare and Ayush services.

According to Parveez, 7,500 hotels, eateries and others engaged in selling food have registered with the health department till June 30.

However, there is no awareness on registration among the people who sell food on the roadside. Many of them find it difficult to visit the health department office.

“I am not aware of the law. No one told me to register my name with the department of health,’’ said K Shanmugam, who maintains a small hotel at Ulsoor.

The owners of hotels and eateries have to come to the Public Health Institute on Seshadri Road to submit the application for registration or to avail of licence. “We are sincerely considering the option of utilising the services of BangaloreOne centres in the city, but a final decision is yet to be taken,’’ Parveez said.

The health department plans a soft launch of the service that enables the people engaged in hospitality business to register their names online. “We are in talks with the National Institute of Smart Government of Hyderabad to introduce the service on a pilot basis in Mysore and Tumkur districts. Based on its success, we will extend it to other districts,’’ he said.

The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, makes it compulsory for those who had got the licence earlier to apply for it again. Eateries or hotels whose turnover is less than Rs12 lakh need not apply, but they have to get registered nevertheless.

Licence is a must for those whose turnover is more than Rs12 lakh per year.
 
Shortage of staff
Though the health department has made registration of hotels and eateries across the state compulsory, there is acute shortage of food safety officers.

There are about 80 officers against the actual requirement of 258. Bangalore City requires 48 officers, but there are only five. The city needs four officers to monitor a food safety officer, but as of now there is only one.

 “The shortage of staff is a cause of concern. The authorities have not taken measures to fill up vacancies for the last few years,’’ said a food safety officer.

However, Parveez is confident of overcoming this problem. “We have already discussed with the finance department to make arrangements for the recruitment of 175 food safety officers shortly,’’ he said.