GVMC Launches 'Eat Right' Campaign with 16 SHE Teams to Ensure Food Safety Compliance in Vizag.

GVMC launches 'Eat Right' campaign to protect public health in Vizag. 16 Sanitation & Health Enforcement teams will conduct inspections and ensure compliance with food safety standards. Teams will examine raw ingredients, prepared foods, and kitchen hygiene. Initial focus is on awareness creation, with fines for repeated violations.

The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) has initiated the 'Eat Right' campaign, a significant step towards safeguarding public health in the city. This comprehensive initiative aims to enforce food safety standards and ensure the quality and hygiene of food served in hotels, restaurants, bakeries, and street food outlets [1].

GVMC has formed 16 Sanitation & Health Enforcement (SHE) teams, each comprising an Assistant Medical Officer, a Sanitation Supervisor, a Food Inspector, a Secretariat Sanitary Secretary, and a woman police officer from the Secretariat. These teams will conduct daily inspections of at least two eateries, examining raw ingredients, prepared foods, and kitchen hygiene [1].

The campaign comes in response to recent incidents where food outlets failed to maintain proper quality and hygiene standards, and the use of expired ingredients and chemicals in food items posed health risks. The GVMC Commissioner, Ketan Garg, emphasized the importance of this initiative, stating that it will initially focus on creating awareness among food handlers about quality and hygiene. Repeated violations will result in fines [1].

In addition to food safety, the SHE teams will also enforce the ongoing ban on single-use plastic, ensuring that prohibited plastic materials are not used. The GVMC authorities have allotted two SHE teams for each zone, with plans to increase the number to 32 teams if necessary, four teams per zone [1].

Last week, the Food Safety wing of the GVMC, along with the Legal Metrology Department, conducted raids on various eateries and registered cases against 35 outlets for using chemicals, expired products, and serving stale food to consumers [1].

The 'Eat Right' campaign underscores the GVMC's commitment to creating a clean, healthy, and plastic-free city. The initiative is a vital step towards protecting the health and well-being of Vizag's residents and promoting a safe food environment.

References:
[1] https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Visakhapatnam/gvmc-launches-eat-right-campaign-she-teams-to-ensure-compliance-with-safety-norms-in-vizag/article69924448.ece