The State government will soon set up clean street food hubs in Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts.
Similar hubs will be set up in Chengalpattu, Nagapattinam and Coimbatore districts. Local bodies in the selected districts will allot land for setting up the food hubs, which will be operated as per food safety standards.
Sites identified
The Greater Chennai Corporation has identified locations to establish the food hubs in the city.
Each hub will have a cluster of 20 or more vendors selling food after complying with basic hygiene and sanitation requirements.
The hubs will be recognised by the local body as a clean street food hub based on an audit.
Work on the food hubs at Elliot’s Beach is expected to begin shortly. Mamallapuram in Chengalpattu district, Avadi in Tiruvallur district and Velankanni in Nagapattinam district are among the locations identified for these hubs elsewhere in the State.
Satheesh Kumar, Designated Officer, Food Safety Department, Chennai, said more than 50 vendors in Chennai will receive training in cooking and storing of food.
“The food should not be unhygienic. The vendors should focus on proper disposal of waste,” said Dr. Satheesh Kumar.
Most food vendors do not follow any standard operating procedure with regard to hygiene.
Many public health issues have been reported by residents after consuming food sold by these vendors.
Based on the hygiene rating of the stalls at the food hubs, the government will set up similar hubs in more districts.