16 SHE teams to work together for Eat Right campaign

Visakhapatnam: As a concrete measure to safeguard the residents’ health in Visakhapatnam and protect the environment, the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) launched the Eat Right campaign. To make it work effectively, the corporation formed 16 special SHE Teams (Sanitation and Health Enforcement), announced GVMC Commissioner Ketan Garg on Monday.

The Commissioner observed that several hotels, restaurants, bakeries, and street food outlets in the city fail to maintain proper food quality and hygiene, resulting in illness among the public. Further, the use of harmful chemicals in certain food items increases the risk of cancer, heart diseases, and kidney-related ailments. To place a check on such unhealthy practices, two SHE teams have been deployed to each zone, the civic chief informed.

Each SHE team comprises an assistant medical officer, a sanitation supervisor, a food inspector, a secretariat sanitary secretary, and a woman police officer from the secretariat. These teams will conduct inspections at a minimum of two to three food-selling outlets every day, examining both the ingredients used and quality of food prepared as well as maintenance of kitchen hygiene.

In addition, as part of environmental protection measures, the teams will also enforce the ongoing ban on single-use plastic. The Commissioner mentioned that initially, the teams will focus on creating awareness about food quality and hygiene maintenance among restaurateurs. However, repeated violations will lead to imposition of fines. Currently, there are two teams per zone. Depending on the requirement, their strength will be increased to 32 teams, with four teams allotted to a zone.

The Commissioner called on food business operators and the public to cooperate in transforming Visakhapatnam into a clean, healthy, and plastic-free city.