AAP’s state general secretary Mohan Dasari
Credit: DH Photo/Pushkar V
Bengaluru: Stating that banned chemicals and colours continue to be mixed in food served to the public, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) suspects the role of corrupt food safety officers in Karnataka, especially in the BBMP limits.
The party also believes the illegal business was worth several thousands of crores.
Speaking to reporters, the AAP’s state general secretary, Mohan Dasari, said the lack of food safety measures was costing the poor and lower middle class heavily.
“All kinds of eateries are coming up in large numbers without following food safety standards. While the food safety inspectors must collect samples for tests on a regular basis, this is not being done,” he said. “These officers go to these eateries only to collect hafta.”
5 samples a month
He also referred to a rule that every Food Safety Officer (FSO) must send at least five samples per month to the BBMP’s food testing laboratory.
“There are around 20,000 licenced restaurants in Bengaluru and countless unofficial hotels and dhabas. However, there are only 19 FSOs for food safety management in the BBMP limits. The amount of sample collection has been low in the last five years. The BBMP has no control over FSOs. This shows how much the BBMP cares about food safety,” Dasari said.
He demanded that food samples be collected to ensure they are not contaminated, chemically mixed or in poor quality.