Sale of unhygienic edibles goes unchecked

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, September 24

With barely any check by health department authorities, the sale of unhygienic and stale food continues unabated at the city bus stand. Uncovered eatables are being served in unhygienic conditions to passengers/visitors by shopping vend and kiosk owners.

A visit to the city bus stand by The Tribune team found that fried food items, snacks and sweets were uncovered with flies and even rats roaming around them. Passengers can be seen purchasing these food items, making themselves vulnerable to a number of diseases.

Haramanpreet Singh, a passenger, said, “I have to travel to Patiala every day for work. I frequently use the bus service. I have asked vendors to cover the food items a number of times, but in vain. And this malpractice has been continuing here for years now.”

Another group of passengers said a majority of passengers were not aware of poor hygiene standards of food served at the bus stand and bought it. But it is the health department authorities that have to take action in the matter and their apathetic attitude is questionable since they continue with serving unhygienic food at the bus stand.

A worker at one of the food kiosks at the city bus stand requesting anonymity said that the oil used for frying food items is stale most of the times. And even water used for preparing food items is contaminated.

District Health Officer Dr Ashok Monga said, “We have conducted surprise checks at the city bus stand in the past but now under the Punjab Tandarust Mission we have intensified our drive against selling of adulterated or unhygienic food/beverages. We will again conduct random checking at bus stand soon.”