Licence to violate: 60% food biz have no permit
More than three out of every five eateries and other food businesses in the city, including 50% of government-run outlets, operate without a valid licence.
According to data available with the state food safety department, only 9,900 of 24,636 food businesses in Chennai, including restaurants, street food stalls, fruits and vegetable shops, and other retail outlets that sell edibles, have either registered with the department or procured licences.
The Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Business) Regulations, 2011, mandates a licence for any food business with an annual turnover of more than Rs 2 lakh. Those with a lower turnover must register with the state food safety department. After eight extensions, the last deadline for acquiring licences expired in August 2016.
R Kathiravan, food safety officer, Chennai, said although the department sporadically inspects illegal units based on tips, licensing would help to keep tabs. "Before we issue licences or register them, we check the quality of water and materials used for cooking, hygiene of workers and other sanitary conditions," he said.
According to the act, a vendor who fails to register or obtain a licence is liable to be forced to shut shop, pay a fine ranging from Rs 25,000 to Rs 10 lakh or face imprisonment of up to six months. But food safety officials said they have not suspended the licence of any city operator so far. While senior officials are tightlipped about why they aren't penalising errant vendors and manufacturers, sources in the department say the government could be going soft as some of the unlicenced outlets are state-owned. Of the 3,254 government institutions, including fair price shops, Tasmac outlets and anganwadis, only 1,637 have licences or are registered.
According to data available with the state food safety department, only 9,900 of 24,636 food businesses in Chennai, including restaurants, street food stalls, fruits and vegetable shops, and other retail outlets that sell edibles, have either registered with the department or procured licences.
The Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Business) Regulations, 2011, mandates a licence for any food business with an annual turnover of more than Rs 2 lakh. Those with a lower turnover must register with the state food safety department. After eight extensions, the last deadline for acquiring licences expired in August 2016.
R Kathiravan, food safety officer, Chennai, said although the department sporadically inspects illegal units based on tips, licensing would help to keep tabs. "Before we issue licences or register them, we check the quality of water and materials used for cooking, hygiene of workers and other sanitary conditions," he said.
According to the act, a vendor who fails to register or obtain a licence is liable to be forced to shut shop, pay a fine ranging from Rs 25,000 to Rs 10 lakh or face imprisonment of up to six months. But food safety officials said they have not suspended the licence of any city operator so far. While senior officials are tightlipped about why they aren't penalising errant vendors and manufacturers, sources in the department say the government could be going soft as some of the unlicenced outlets are state-owned. Of the 3,254 government institutions, including fair price shops, Tasmac outlets and anganwadis, only 1,637 have licences or are registered.
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