Branding phuchka Kolkata is incomplete without the presence of phuchkas, jhal moori and tele bhaja that are served at most of the street corners and by lanes of the city. The vendor that serves the mouth-watering crispy snacks that you munch on so royally will now sport a standardised cart sporting a logo, which would be accredited by the government. The accreditation would be based on the examination of his fare and the minimum hygiene standard maintained.

The Ministry of Food Processing Industries is enforcing BIS norms on food sold on the street and it would soon be launched in eight cities, including Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. Targeting 6,000 street food vendors in each city initially, the project aims to cover vendors across India in phases.

The BIS has developed basic guidelines for hygiene, which vendors are expected to maintain. Since illiteracy, poverty and lack of familiarity with government procedures are big hurdles for the vendors, NGOs are being roped in to assist them in getting accreditation.

The standardisation process to be taught by the NGOs to the vendors, includes basic hygiene issues such as washing hands properly, cleaning used dishes, clean water used for cooking etc. They will also keep a thorough eye on them and check that they comply with the levels of hygiene required.

The BIS norms will specify size — diameter and thickness — of the phuchkas and papris, the quality of masala and raw ingredients used in their preparation. The standardisation will also deal with arrangements for waste disposal that otherwise create havoc in the vicinity of the cart.

Smita Sharma