Not a single mean vendor, butcher shop in State possesses license
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, November 28 2014 :
Undermining the medical fact that 70 percent of total human diseases are due to consuming unhealthy and contaminated eatable items, almost of the meat vendors including butcher shops in the State are running without obtaining license from the Health Department in defiance of Food Safety & Standard Act, 2006 .
According to an official of Health Services, Imphal Municipal Council was entrusted with the responsibility to issue license to meat vendors but later the task was handed over to Health Department following the implementation of Food Safety & Standard Act, 2006 in the State starting from 2011 .
However, the department has not issued license to any meat vendor or butcher shop till date, the official disclosed.
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Asked why the department has not directed meat vendors to obtain license under Food Safety & Standard Act 2006 which is mandatory for running their businesses so far, he replied that a slaughterhouse is required to issue license to meat vendors as a team of veterinary doctor have to inspect whether varieties of meat meant for sell to consumers are safe to consume or not.
Since there is not any slaughterhouse in the State despite its requirement, the Health Department has not able to issue license to meat vendors, he added.
Maintaining that the responsibility for construction of slaughterhouse solely lies with Veterinary and MAHUD Department not with Health Department, the official alleged that the failure to construct slaughterhouse which is much required to issue license to meat vendors is due to the inaction of Veterinary and MAHUD Department.
In developed countries, slaughter house is constructed in a well manner.
It is from slaughter house where meat vendors bring cut meat for sell.
Even water used in such house is safe for drinking.
Meat vendors in other countries used food grade container to wrap meat not ordinary plastic bag and paper, he said.
In the State, it is a different story.
Meats are put up in areas prone to dust and flies.
Even butchers used dirty water fetched from ponds to wash knife and meat.
Meat which could not be sold on a single day is again put up next day for sell by adding fresh blood on it.
A medicine doctor of RIMS informed this newspaper that meat even after boiling it in 100 degree Celsius is not saved to consume as there are virus and bacteria in meat which cannot be killed even after exposing to high degree of heat.