the goan I network
MAPUSA
The Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) has issued notices to seven eateries in Mapusa that have been vending food items on streets, after finding they violated norms under the Goa Municipalities Act, 1968 for providing clean and safe street food to consumers/public.
In addition, the MMC has also written to the Directorate of Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) requesting it to conduct a joint inspection along with the civic staff of all stalls which are in the business of selling food items within the municipality limits.
The civic officials recently conducted a site inspection of the kiosks/food stalls based on the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) audit report for adoption of guidelines for declaration as ‘Clean Street Food Hubs’ by the State.
“During the inspection, it was found that the eateries at Angod near the Alankar theatre were found to be violating various laws and functioning in a very unhygienic environment,” said MMC Chief Officer Clen Madeira.
The civic officials in their inspection report said there was no proper arrangement done to provide clean and potable water for drinking as well as for washing of hands and used plates.
“There is no proper connection to sewage line for disposal of waste water and no proper cleanliness and hygiene is maintained at the premises,” the report observed.
It also said that there was no proper arrangement for disposal of biodegradable waste and further pointed out urgent need to repair or modify the kiosks.
Besides, the civic officials also found that the kiosks have been extended illegally beyond the allotted area with corrugated sheets on the sides and the roofing.
“There has been unnecessary expansion of the kiosks with placement of drums, kitchen and display counters thereby blocking the road, which is done without obtaining prior permission of the municipal council,” the chief officer said.
The chief officer has given the owners a period of 15 days to reply to the show cause notice as to why an order under section 184 (8) of the Municipalities Act should not be passed for removal/demolition of the said illegal erection/construction.
In Mapusa, there are at least three fast food joints that operate late in the night “ near Alankar theatre, opposite the taxi-stand and along the Khorlim by-pass road.
In the last fortnight, the FDA officials conducted a series of raids and seized and destroyed large quantity of artificially ripened bananas at the Mapusa market sub-yard.
Health Minister Vishwajeet Rane, who was in Mapusa last week, had also promised to take action against fast food joints that were violating health laws.
