THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Food Safety Commissionerate will intensify inspections in hotels in rural and urban areas in the state to seize stale food for which they will be assured support from the police, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said, while inaugurating the state-level Safe Food for Health (‘Surakshithaharam Arogyathinadharam’) project at Cotton Hill Government Girls Higher Secondary School here on Tuesday. “Overeating and improper exercise are leading to rise in lifestyle diseases, such as diabetes, among children.
“Children should know what they eat and how good the food they eat is for their health. Everyone should learn to prepare food in hygienic conditions,” the Minister said. During his presidential address, Health Minister V S Sivakumar said that from August 20 onwards, food safety squads would conduct inspections across the state, ahead of Onam season, and district-wise offices would be opened.
Safe Food in Schools
He said that through the project, an action plan has been devised to create awareness regarding safe food in all schools in the state within two years. The Minister also advised students to opt vegetarian diet once in a week for a healthy life.Chennithala released an awareness CD made by Food Safety Commissionerate in association with Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC) by handing it over to student Sneha J R. Food Safety Commissioner Anupama T V delivered the welcome address.
District Panchayat president Ansajitha Russell, Vazhuthacaud ward Councillor Sureshkumar K, Higher Secondary director K N Satheesh, Cotton Hill School principal Mini S and headmistress Sujana S were present.
As part of the project, students of Class IX and Plus-I classes of 10 schools selected from each district of the state would be trained to distribute the messages of safe food habits among school students.