Key Development

Jharkhand’s capital, Ranchi, enjoys its favourite street food corners, but these spots carry a hidden health cost. Inspections at Kutchery Chowk, Lalpur and Albert Ekka Chowk uncovered routine violations of FSSAI hygiene rules. Vendors cooked with bare hands, handled money and utensils simultaneously, and operated beside garbage piles, stagnant water and overflowing drains—conditions that directly expose food to contamination.

Awareness Among Vendors

Several vendors in Ranchi admitted they did not know the hygiene standards required to run roadside stalls. They said they only focused on obtaining the mandatory FSSAI certificate because no one had explained the daily hygiene practices they must follow. They expressed their willingness to attend training sessions if the administration organised them, noting that proper guidance would help them maintain better hygiene and serve safer food. Vendors agreed that structured training would improve their practices and ensure safer food for the public.

Source: The Times of India