KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Friday directed the State Government to conduct inspections to verify the standard of toddy shops in the state and file a statement within two weeks.
The court passed the order on a petition filed by A Shabu of Palakkad pointing out the unhygienic conditions in toddy shops.
The petitioner argued that the State Government framed the Abkari Policy in 2007-08 to take steps to maintain clean and hygienic conditions in the toddy shops.
The Kerala Abkari Shops Disposal in Auction rules, 2002, were amended incorporating a special rule for toddy shops to function in spic and span conditions with facilities like toilets, seating arrangements for customers, store and covered space in the licensed premises.
But most of them are functioning in unhygienic conditions where pets, rats and flies are a common sight inside the rooms where food is prepared and consumed, the petitioners submitted.