Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Food business: no more extension of dates for registrations, licences
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has warned food business operators across the country that the deadline for obtaining licences and registration under Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, will not be extended again.
When the Act was notified and implemented from August 5, 2011, businesses were given an initial deadline of a year to register.
It was extended from August 4, 2012 to February 4, 2013 and again to February 4 this year, R. Kathiravan, Designated Officer of Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration Department (Food Safety Wing), told The Hinduhere on Tuesday.
Following this directive, food safety officials have launched an awareness campaign urging all food businesses ranging from road side eateries and canteens to star-category hotels and restaurants to either register or obtain licence.
The Act provides for imposing a fine of up to Rs. 5 lakh besides imprisonment up to six months on food businesses operating without licences.
The Designated Officer estimated that there must be around 22,000 food businesses in Coimbatore district. Till now, 2,658 food business operators have been issued licences and another 6,636 issued registrations, totalling 9,264.
Firms with annual turnover below Rs. 12 lakh will require registration and those above have to obtain licences.
“The process had been simplified and can be done completely online within a couple of hours. They can even post the documents to the Food Safety Office,” he said.
The benefit for consumers was that all licensed/registered food outlets and dealers will have had their kitchens and storehouses inspected by the officials at least once a year besides being subjected to random checks. They would also be trained on the proper storage of various food materials and identification of expiry dates in food product packs.
They would have legal responsibilities that would prevent them from selling adulterated and non-branded products, Dr. Kathiravan said.
Even anganwadi centres of Integrated Child Development Services, noon meal centres in Government schools and Amma Canteens must obtain licences/registration. All the 1,434 fair price shops in the district have already obtained licences.
The Food Safety Act mandated all food manufacturers, packers, distributors, importers, 100 per cent food export-oriented units, restaurants, canteens, transporters and food processors to get registered or obtain a licence.
The FSSAI was created under this Act as a statutory body under the Union Health Ministry to lay down science-based standards for food articles and regulating manufacturing, processing, distribution, sale and import of food.
Monday, January 20, 2014
In a month, meter autos for women, by women
City commuters have wholeheartedly welcomed autorickshaws running on meters. And now, there’s more good news.
Next month, over 100 autorickshaws, exclusively for women and driven by women, will be launched in the city by a private operator.
These vehicles will also be fitted with tabs that will telecast TV shows.
“It will be like TV on wheels. We want to ensure the safety of women and also keep them entertained during the commute,” said Mansoor Ali Khan, co-founder of Makkal Auto, which is behind the novel service.
The tabs will telecast daily soaps, reality shows and documentaries on successful women, said Mr. Khan, who had earlier co-founded Namma Auto — autorickshaws that ran on meters before the government enforced the rule.
The tabs in the women-only autorickshaws will have an emergency button, front and rear cameras and calling facility. “When the button is pressed, video footage of the crime or accident will be sent to a call centre, and a call will be made to the nearest police station,” said Mr. Khan.
Besides, the autorickshaws will have WiFi connections and printers.
The vehicles will operate on government-approved rates from 6 a.m. to 8.30 p.m.
“GPS and panic buttons, announced by the State government, have failed to take off in the autorickshaws plying on city roads. But we have efficient technology from a Singapore firm to ensure help arrives when needed,” said Mr. Khan.
Women can contact a call-centre (66777777) for booking the autos. “We are also working on an app that will let them select an auto based on its driver details. The app will also enable a family member to track the journey of the passenger, particularly if she/he is old,” said Mr Khan.
In the initial phase, 100 women-only autos will be rolled out. “We are training another 400 women drivers who will be out on the road in the next three months,” said Mr. Khan.
They will also have tabs that will telecast TV shows
Organ donation gets tech savvy with mobile apps
A measure of how popular organ donation has become in the State and city is how it has entered the technology zone – personal technology, mobile phones and social media.
It cannot be dismissed as mere coincidence that two mobile apps for organ donation have been launched this week in Chennai. Mohan Foundation’s e-donor app was launched on Sunday. Initially on the Android platform, and subsequently, on iOS, this app, gives you a notification that you are a donor after you have signed up to donate organs. Organs can be harvested in the event of brain death of the donor.
“Once you register, a red heart symbol will be displayed prominently on the mobile phone, indicating that you are a donor,” says Sunil Shroff of Mohan Foundation. That’s even better than wearing your heart on your sleeve – wearing it on your phone.
Eventually, he says, a list of the hospitals where both eyes and other organs are harvested and transplanted will be available on the app, soon to be downloaded from the Apple and Google Play stores.
Vasan Eye Care is now taking eye donation formally on to social media platforms. Anand Parthasarathy, medical director, Vasan Eye Care, says the idea is to make organ donation more popular.
Apart from the hospital’s website, there is now an option to log on to Facebook and pledge your corneas.
“There is a huge gap between demand and the number of corneas that are available today,” Dr. Parthasarthy explains. Taking the campaign onto FB will be the ideal way to take it to a larger young group that uses social media extensively, and may not be aware of organ donation yet.
Once someone pledges eyes online, the hospital will send a card to the donor.
When the eyes are ready to be donated, relatives can call the hotline: 044-43400000
Thursday, November 28, 2013
Snake Bite - Go to GH
Though the number of snake bite cases treated by the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital has come down drastically over the years, doctors say that awareness among public on such treatment is still less.
Speaking to News Today, Dr S Ragunanthanan, Professor of Medicine at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, said that on average, the hospital sees three to five snake bite cases per day.
The hospital treated 445 cases in 2011, 534 in 2012 and 380 cases till October this year, he said.
There is adequate stock of anti-venom drug available in the hospital and good treatment is offered. So the public should not get panic if they have been bitten by a snake as 70 per cent snakes are non-venomous. Only 30 per cent are venomous, he added.
About snakes, Ragunanthanan said there are only four snakes (called as big snakes) that are commonly present in India, which are poisonous - Common Krait (Kattuveriyan), Cobra (Nallapambu), Russel Viper (Kannadi Veriyan) and Saw Scale Viper (Suruttai Pambu). And also main poisonous snake is Hump Nosed Viper (Komberi Mookan).
Poisonous snakes might cause neurological problems, some of the symptoms being grooping of eye lids, difficulty in swallowing, speech and neck muscle weakness. It also can cause respiratory problem, paralyse the victim, he added.
Saying that 50 per cent people bring the snake that bit them to the doctor, he said this really would not help the treatment. So the patient need not get panic as the amount of venom injected into the body of a person involves other circumstances as well. For example the snake carries maximum venom only when it is on the hunt for prey. And post hunt, the venom is lost. So when the snake bit a person post hunt, it might turn as non-venoumous, he added.
Ragunanthanan further said that the victim should not cut the wound part using blade. Do not attempt to suck the blood. Do not tie rope on the attacked portion. Give rest to the patient as straining the body might spread the venom in blood fast. So the 'RIGHT' approach will help (that is, R-Reassurance, I- Immobolisation, GH- Go to Hospital and T-tell what has happened).
The doctors at the hospital will administer Poly Valent Anti-Snake injection, if the patient shows any symptoms of present of venom in the body. So there is nothing to worry, as it can be cured under the observation of a doctor in the hospital, he said.
Vandalur Zoo
Facility is expected to attract nearly 30 species of free-ranging terrestrial birds
Very soon, visitors to Arignar Anna Zoological Park in Vandalur will get to see terrestrial birds feeding and playing in an open park.
Speaking to The Hindu, zoo director, K.S.S.V.P. Reddy, said already, visitors could enjoy the sight of migratory birds, housed in a walk-in aviary.
The new, open park will attract nearly 30 species of free-ranging terrestrial birds — red-vented bulbul, red-whiskered bulbul, babblers, coppersmith barbet, grey francolin, wood shrike, Indian Robin and hoopoe, to name a few, he said.
In order to attract these birds, the authorities have provided nest boxes on tree branches, along with food trays. On the ground, there are facilities for sand and ash bath.
Also, dung, farmyard manure, leaf litter and fallen branches have been strewn about so that insects and worms can make their home there. The presence of insects and worms will attract insectivorous birds.
Other attractions include nectar-bearing flowering plants and a specially-created small pond with fish, said Mr. Reddy.
“The open park will have plants to attract fruit-eating birds, insect-eating birds and grain-eating birds. We have ensured there will be enough facilities to attract all the three types of birds,” he said.
The new facility is coming up on a two-hectare plot adjacent to the sambar safari. Half the work has been completed and the remaining will be done in a month. It will be a grand sight for visitors who will be able to see all the birds without too much strain, said Mr. Reddy.
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Food Safety in Restaurants - Complaints Welcomed
The Food safety and Drug Administration on Thursday prohibited operations of a hotel in Saidapet for failure to maintain hygiene in its kitchen. The action on Monday followed an email sent on October 28 to dofssache@gmail.com by shyam sundar from tambaram.He had suffered food poisoining,vomiting and diarrhoeaafter having meals at the hotel a few weeks ago.
Customers affected by such food may send emails to the commissioner of food safety in the state at
commrfssa@gmail.com
This news was published in the Hindu Paper on Page :4 Chennai City column on 8/11/2013.
Customers affected by such food may send emails to the commissioner of food safety in the state at
commrfssa@gmail.com
This news was published in the Hindu Paper on Page :4 Chennai City column on 8/11/2013.
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