The Madras High Court on Thursday directed the food safety department officials to come up with a module of hygienic practices to be followed by all those involved in food industry, including eateries and cooks engaged for ceremonies.
Disposing of a public interest litigation petition, Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice P.D. Audikesavalu ordered that the hygienic practices such as wearing clean hand coverings should be implemented strictly in hotels, restaurants and such other places.
The PIL had been filed by advocate B. Ramkumar Adityan of Thoothukudi to prevent those who pack food in restaurants, eateries, bakeries and so on from using their saliva to separate paper or plastic covers since there was every possibility of the spread of COVID-19.
In reply, the court was told that the Food Safety Commissioner had already issued instructions to all Collectors to hold awareness campaigns in this regard. After recording the submission, the judges insisted that the hygienic practices must continue for all time to come.
During the course of hearing, the Chief Justice said that people should not give up the practice of washing hands regularly and using sanitizers even after the threat of COVID-19 dies down. These practices should stay on forever, he said.
