Report

Despite a clear ban by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), many hotels and roadside eateries in Hubballi-Dharwad continue to indulge in unsafe food packaging, ie. single-use plastic and newspaper. FSSAI recently directed the Karnataka food safety department to investigate these violations, but the practice remains rampant.

Authorities Struggle with Enforcement

The Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) has been conducting raids and issuing fines to violators. However, limited staff and a growing number of food outlets have made enforcement difficult. An HDMC source admitted, “We are conducting raids and penalizing offenders, but our manpower is stretched thin.”

Health Risks from Toxic Packaging

Retired HDMC health officer Dr. V.B. Nitali warned that using low-grade plastic for hot food can release toxic chemicals like BPA and phthalates, which may leach into food and harm human health. “People should carry their own containers when taking food parcels,” he advised.

Social worker Lingaraj Dharwad raised concerns about eateries serving food like girmit, mirchi, tea, and holige in newspapers, which may contain harmful inks and chemicals. “In hospitals, tender coconuts are banned. So people carry coconut water in plastic bags. Complaints to HDMC officials result in no visible action,” he said.

Lack of Awareness Among Hoteliers

Many local hoteliers said they knew about the ban on plastic, but were unaware of the dangers of using newspaper and other unsafe packaging. Lingaraj Dharwad urged government agencies to launch awareness campaigns targeting both food business operators and the general public.

Food Safety Helpline Defunct

The food safety helpline (9482196639), launched in April 2017 by the Food Safety Commissionerate to report hygiene violations, is no longer in service. The helpline once promised swift action on food safety complaints and aimed to involve the public in improving standards.

Source: The Times of India