Corporation to issue licence to soft drink vendors in Thiruvananthapuram

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Wayside vendors turning up with make-shift stalls for selling cool drinks this summer will have to go through a licensing procedure soon. The health wing of the city corporation will issue a directive making licence mandatory for those vending cool drinks like butter milk, lemonades, water melon and other chilled, sweetened liquid concoctions.

The decision comes in the wake of reports from health inspectors of various circles about appalling hygienic standards maintained by most of the street vendors. "It has come to our notice that the vendors pay scant regard to the sources from where they collect water. Already the city is facing a severe drought and clean, natural reserves are a rarity these days. So, we need to find out the places from where they source the water," a senior health official said.

The health standing committee will convene a meeting of health inspectors from various health circles as part of issuing the directive. "Cool drink stalls are mushrooming in the city. We are not against the conduct of business or source of livelihood. We just need to make sure that they run their business without compromising on hygiene and health of their customers. The meeting will be held this week itself," said health standing committee chairperson S Pushpalatha.

According to the health officials, focus will be mainly on nine health circles spread around the city. As per the directive, the vendors will have to indicate their source of water, place of business and hygienic standards maintained by them and have to get it certified by the corporation's health wing. The licence will be issued on a temporary basis.

"There are a lot of people who have been conducting this business for the past few years. However, of late we have noticed emergence of new vendors. Everybody will be put under the scanner and those who fail to meet the standards will be asked to shut their business," a health official said.

Also, the civic body will conduct inspection drives among the eateries set up by the road side to ensure hygiene. The corporation had earlier directed the vendors to procure glass enclosures for food items and that they shouldn't keep the food open. An official admitted that the corporation failed to monitor the directive and resultantly the vendors have disregarded it. "All street vendors will be issued reminders to store food items in glass enclosures and they will be fined upon non compliance," the official said.