UP eateries to display names of owner, install CCTV, staff to wear mask: Yogi

Yogi Adityanath also ordered investigation and verification of all hotels, dhabas, restaurants, and eateries in the state

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday directed eateries across the state to prominently display the name and address of their operator, proprietor and manager, install CCTV cameras and ensure that its chefs and servers wear masks and gloves to ensure cleanliness, a statement issued by the state government said.

UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath issued a slew of directions to officials at a high level meeting in Lucknow on Tuesday. (PTI)

The chief minister also ordered a thorough investigation and verification of all hotels, dhabas, restaurants, and eateries in the state to verify the purity of their food. The directives come against the backdrop of recent controversies in the state around a video clip that showed a teenager spitting on flatbread at a Saharanpur eatery which led to the arrest of its owner. In Ghaziabad, a juice vendor was arrested on charges of mixing urine in the juices he served.

The chief minister referred to the controversies at the meeting.

“In recent times, incidents of adulterating food items such as juice, dal, and roti with human waste, inedible, or dirty substances have been reported from various parts of the country. These acts are atrocious, posing a serious threat to public health. Such malicious practices are completely unacceptable. To prevent such occurrences in Uttar Pradesh, concrete measures must be put in place to ensure food safety and protect the health of the common man,” the chief minister said, according to the statement.

The statement said the chief minister said names and addresses of the operator, proprietor, manager, and other relevant personnel should be prominently displayed at food establishments. “In this context, necessary amendments should be made to the Food Safety and Standards Act to ensure compliance”, he said.

Similar directives by governments of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh that mandated eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display the name and contact details of their owner and staff earlier this year were put on hold by the Supreme Court on July 22 as an interim measure. A two-judge bench of the Supreme Court had observed that the primary concern should be the type of food being served, not the community of those preparing or selling it.

The chief minister added: “It is essential to thoroughly investigate food establishments such as dhabas and restaurants. A state-wide intensive campaign should be conducted to verify all employees, including the operators of these establishments. This verification process must be completed swiftly by a joint team comprising the Food Safety and Drug Administration, Police, and Local Administration.”

The chief minister also asked officials to ensure CCTV cameras were installed in establishments such as dhabas, hotels, and restaurants and that the cameras should not only cover the area where customers dine but also other parts of the establishment. The statement said it was imperative that every operator ensures the security of the CCTV footage and makes it available to the police or local administration upon request.

“Cleanliness must be maintained at all food centers. It is essential to ensure that all personnel involved in preparing and serving food wear masks and gloves, with no room for negligence in these practices. There can be no compromise on the health interests of the general public. Strict action must be taken against anyone who attempts to jeopardize public health. Rules concerning the production, sale, and other related activities of food items should be made more stringent while considering practicality. Immediate action should be taken against any violations of these regulations.”