Increase food safety measures in hotels, OPS urges TN govt

CHENNAI: AIADMK coordinator and former chief minister O Panneerselvam on Sunday urged the DMK government to take necessary steps for increasing food safety measures based on the number of hotels and restaurants available in the State.

He said in order to bring a disease-free state, the government should ensure a hygienic environment besides providing quality food and drinking water. "Now, people are in fear and the food safety has became a big question mark,” he alleged.

Pointing out that a large number of people from other countries and different States besides from villages were coming to Chennai in search of employment, Panneerselvam said: “These people were depending only on hotels in the city for food and due to that, the number of restaurants has been increasing".

"At this juncture, the food safety department, in its report had indicated that most of the hotels were providing unhygienic food,” he said adding the officials concerned also found that even in high-class hotels, the kitchens were not maintained properly. "It was also found that rotten meat was used for cooking,” he claimed.

The AIADMK leader also alleged that the hoteliers were using chemicals to showcase the fruits and vegetables look fresh. "The food safety officials have also said that in most of the hotels do not have enough laborers and vehicles to fulfill the food requirement of the people,”

He said adding that unless there is a strict action against the violators, there will not be any solution to this issue.

The AIADMK leader also pointed out that if the government does not take steps for taking action against the hotels, which supply unhygienic food, several diseases will not only spread but also the health department would have to face a big challenge.

"With already many people even at the young age were suffering from diabetes, blood pressure and heart diseases, the problem would further aggravate if they consume unhygienic food,” the leader claimed.

Stating that the Chief Minister should immediately intervene and take steps to further enhance the food safety department based on the number of hotels available in the city, Panneerselvam said that in the future that there should be a periodical inspection to ensure the supply of hygienic food for the consumers.