Karnataka to Form Citizen Food Safety Watch Teams, Inspect PGs Across State

The Karnataka government will form citizen-led food safety watch teams at the taluk level across the state to act as force multipliers to ensure food safety, Health and Family Welfare Minister U.T. Khader announced on Monday during the launch of an "Eat Right" campaign.

The citizen watch teams will comprise senior citizens, former food safety officials, and experienced chefs. The members will be issued identity cards to inspect food establishments. If violations are discovered, the teams will report them to the head office for action. Mr. Khader stated that guidelines for these watch teams will be framed and issued soon.

Emphasising that every citizen has the right to clean food, the Minister said that Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) teams, which have previously inspected hotels, hostels, dhabas, and anganwadis, will now expand inspections to paying guest (PG) accommodations, private college hostels, and catering centres.

Mr. Khader noted that young college students and working women staying in PGs often fall sick and are forced to return home when unhygienic food is served. He gave PGs and other food-serving facilities a 10-day window to rectify mistakes and comply with food safety norms, after which penalties will be imposed for violations.

Food samples from hotels at railway stations, airports, and inside airplanes will also be collected for laboratory analysis in the coming days. The department will soon hold a meeting with the owners of star hotels to discuss suggestions and food safety standards.

Alongside the campaign, the state government launched a QR code-based complaint management system for citizens to report drug and food safety violations, which will be followed up by officials. A toll-free number and a dedicated call centre are also scheduled to be set up soon.

Additionally, the Health and Family Welfare Department plans to organise a food safety conclave involving Union government officials and counterparts from other states to debate and frame recommendations regarding standards for consuming meat and imported chocolates.