Will conduct food drives ahead of Christmas: Ghosh

Kolkata: With Christmas round the corner, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will intensify its food drive in the city.

Deputy Mayor Atin Ghosh, who is also the Member, Mayor-in-Council (Health) of KMC, on Tuesday held a meeting with food safety officers to take stock of the food drives and at the same time, instructed them to strengthen their drives.

"During Durga Puja and Kali Puja, we conducted drives in restaurants and food stalls. We also checked the kitchens to ensure that the ingredients used for cooking meet the standards of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and maintenance of cleanliness and hygiene. We will be carrying out a similar exercise with Christmas around the corner. Christmas is not limited to savouring cakes and pastries as food lovers throng all kinds of restaurants in huge numbers during this season," said Bibhakar Bhattacharjee, designated officer, FSSAI, of KMC.

The drive will also be held at places where cakes and pastries are being prepared before being packaged and sent to the markets.

The food safety officers have started using its mobile food laboratory 'Food Safety on Wheels' twice in a week in the city. The vehicle has the infrastructure to examine food and issue reports right at the spot.

On Tuesdays the vehicle is being used in various markets, while on Thursdays street foods are being checked. The officers of the food safety wing are also distributing awareness leaflets on food while holding drives with the mobile food laboratory.

"It takes time to collect samples and test them in our food laboratory. So, we are using this vehicle for quick examination and the on-the-spot report," a senior official of the food safety wing said.

"Our aim is to ensure that there is no compromise with food quality amidst the huge demand," the Deputy Mayor said.