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Wednesday, August 12, 2009

STREET VENDING-IS THE NATIONAL ATTENTION JUSTIFIED?

For the last two decades vending of prepare4d foods on the foot paths of urban areas has been receiving attention from state, central and international agencies, probably on humanitarian considerations, in spite of the risks for spread of food borne diseases because of the unsatisfactory hygienic conditions prevailing in such joints. Recently no less a person than Mr Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of the country chose to express his views on the subject.

The prime minister urged the states to devise norms for "suitable spatial planning for reservation of space for street vendors in accordance with their current population and projected growth." Singh also said the states should ensure proper demarcation of "restriction-free vending zones, restricted vending zones, no-vending zones and mobile vending areas in every city and town, taking into account the natural propensity of street vendors to locate in certain places at certain times."

While humane considerations are noble and compassionate, a larger issue is whether country's infrastructure can be allowed to be defaced by regularizing such intrusions that affects the health and well being of the citizens? Government must plan for creating food vending complexes to rehabilitate such entrepreneurs with necessary paraphernalia for ensuring safety of the people who patronize these eateries.


V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com/

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