The New Nation - Internet Edition

SENSING a respite from actions of mobile courts, some food producers and caterers who were beginning to feel the compulsion for changing their ways to serve members of the public better, seem to have started going back to their previous health hazarding practices of adulterating food items. Unhygienic preparation and handling of foods are seen at many places. Push-cart sellers of various food products such as chutneys, serbats, fruits, tea and the like cater to large number of people in the open.

They care the least about flies sitting on the foods they serve to people. Dust from the road also fall on such foods which are not covered. Even the plates on which the foods are served are not properly cleaned by the roadside vendors. They tend to wash again and again the plates in the same small bucket of water that becomes dirty from repeated use; hardly do they care to replace the dirty water with fresh water. It is not that laws are not there to regulate such dangerous practices that pose serious threats to public health. Many fall ill due to the consumption of such foods.

Two years ago when the mobile courts first went into operation, people came to know how from the dirty and uncared for kitchens of seemingly nice looking restaurants on the outside, they were being actually served adulterated foods without their knowing about the same. The problem, really, is one of law enforcement. The present government should take a vigorous interest in enforcing the law in this vital sphere for the sake of public health. People will be healthy and more productive and not need to spend much on medical treatment if they can get the benefits of clean foods and their equally clean catering services.