BBMP cracks down on street vendors, eateries as cholera cases rise

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has instructed its zonal officials to crack down on roadside food vendors and eateries, in the wake of a rise in the number of cholera and gastroenteritis cases, along with the outbreak of coronavirus in the city.

Health officials in various zones carried out an eviction drive on Monday and Tuesday after raiding unhygienic eating joints.

Health inspectors, along with the jurisdictional police and BBMP marshals, inspected several shops and joints in Vijayanagar, Chickpet and Jayanagar in Bengaluru South. The officials also raided eateries in Shantinagar, MG Road and Brigade Road, targeting vendors who sell cut-fruits, fried items and beverages.

Prior to the eviction drive across the city, the BBMP officials had held a high-level meeting with the BWSSB and resolved to carry out a joint exercise to prevent the spread of the epidemic. The civic body has taken a slew of measures including prevention of sale of beverages, cut-fruits, cold drinks and other eatables at roadside joints. Officials have been asked to ensure hygienic conditions at eateries and hotels by holding surprise checks.

The BBMP also directed BWSSB engineers to increase the chlorine content in water supplied at public places, besides collecting samples from suspected localities for testing.

Following cholera cases, BWSSB engineers collected samples from 29 places. Lab tests revealed that the chlorine content was as per national standards.