DH Impact: CMO asks food safety officials to take action after rats infest kitchen serving Indira canteens

The Chief Minister's office (CMO) has issued directions to Commissioner for Food Safety to take necessary measures after rats were found in Indira Canteen Master Kitchen at Mysuru city's Alanahalli Circle. The action was prompted after DH's report on November 10 -- Rats in Indira canteen: Mysuru corporation commissioner visits kitchen -- which shed light on serious health threat to customers.

On November 13, Commissioner for Food Safety K Srinivas had directed Designated Officers (DO) and Food Safety Officers (FSO) of FSSAI to inspect all Indira Canteens and their Master Kitchens across Karnataka.

After the inspections, he has submitted a report in this regard to the Chief Minister's special officer. CM's office has released a press note in this regard with the title "CM Acts". 

In the letter to CM's Special officer, Srinivas has written that as per his directions based on the article published in this regard, FSOs took up a special drive on November 13 and 14 and inspected the status of cleanliness and hygiene maintained in 125 Indira Canteens in the entire State.

They have issued notices to correct the lacunae in the respective canteens. They have also collected 190 food samples from these canteens and sent them to Lab for testing. Based on the lab reports, they will initiate necessary action as per the rules. 

MCC takes up civil works in Alanahalli Master Kitchen

Mysore City Corporation (MCC) has initiated ecessary civil works at this Kitchen, including the removal of non functioning exhaust duct (Chimney) where a lot of rats were mainly found, as per MCC CHO Dr N P Venkatesh.

This kitchen supplies food for six Indira canteens in Mysuru city.

The MCC Commissioner Asad Ur Rehman Sharief and MCC Health officer Dr N P Venkatesh visited this kitchen on November 10. He issued notices to MCC Health Officer, Environment Engineer and Health inspector of zone 1 of MCC. He even assured of taking up necessary civil works of the kitchen. The DO of FSSAI, Dr S L Ravindra, who works under the Health department, in Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) limits, inspected the Master Kitchen in Alanahalli Circle on November 11 and sent a report to the Commissioner for Food Safety.  Dr Ravindra had even collected three food samples from the Kitchen and sent them for testing. He issued a notice to the tender holder, to improve Alanahalli Master kitchen. He had even given information to the MCC Commissioner and MCC Health officer about the issues in the Alanahalli master kitchen and about necessary action, including civil works, to fix the problems, to prevent rats from entering the kitchen. 

Inspection finished in nine canteens and one more master Kitchen

Meanwhile, Dr Ravindra had even directed three FSOs to inspect all 12 Indira canteens and another Master Kitchen on Kumbarkoppal Road which supplies food for six more Indira canteens in Mysuru city in MCC limits.

They have finished thorough inspection of nine canteens and one more Master Kitchen on Kumbarkoppal road. They have found that none have taken Food safety license of FSSAI except for Sewage farm road in Vidyaranyapuram. RO water filters are not working in most of these canteens. They have issued four more notices including one for Master Kitchen on Kumbarkoppal road and rest for three canteens to improve hygiene measures and facilities. They have collected samples of raw rice and sambar in Kumbarkoppal road Kitchen. 

Indira Canteen is a dream project of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, to provide healthy, nutritious, and good quality food to the poor at lesser cost. While the tender holder gets Rs 62 per person's three meals per day, the government bears Rs 27, and the customer is expected to bear Rs 25 - including Rs 5 for breakfast and Rs 10 each for lunch and dinner.