GUWAHATI, Oct 8 - The Kamrup Metro district administration has fixed stringent guidelines with regard to sale of food items, including sweets, by restaurants, food joints, street vendors and other such establishments in the city during the ongoing Durga Puja as well as the forthcoming Lakshmi Puja and Diwali festivals.
Kamrup Metro Deputy Commissioner Dr M Angamuthu said that teams comprising officials have been constituted to ensure compliance with food safety measures by restaurants, food joints, street vendors and other such establishments.
�Each team shall ensure compliance with food safety measures as suggested by the Joint Director of Health Services of Kamrup Metro,� he said.
As per the guidelines, preparation of food items should be done in open space to prevent congestion and roadside and temporary stalls must cover food items properly. Establishments have been directed to avoid repeated use of oil for frying or preparation of food items.
�The priority is on prevalence of hygienic condition at stalls and storerooms where food items are prepared or stored,� said Dr Angamuthu.
The guidelines also stipulate that colour used for preparation of food should be FSSAI approved (with ISI mark) permitted food colour and leftover food should not be re-used or served.
Establishments have been asked to use potable water for washing and cooking of food items and to take special care in washing, soaking and distribution of items like gram and moong used as prasad.
As per the directions, during preparation of khichri and payash, special care should be taken to avoid contamination and all foodgrains used for preparation of prasad, payash and other food items should be of best quality, while fruits should be fresh and washed carefully before cutting.
Food handlers have also been instructed to wear clean clothes and wash their hands regularly.
Each team formed by the administration to enforce the guidelines consists of officials from the district administration, Department of Food, Civil Supply and Consumer Affairs, Department of Legal Metrology and chemists.
