On September 25, 2024, the Himachal Pradesh government announced a directive mandating street vendors to display their identification. Speaking to the press in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh Minister Vikramaditya Singh highlighted recent public concerns about the level of hygiene of street food and related issues. Vikramaditya Singh told ANI, "To make sure that hygienic food is sold, a decision has been taken for all the street vendors...especially those selling edible items... People expressed their concerns and doubts, and considering this, we have decided to implement a similar policy to that in UP, in which it has been made mandatory that vendors have to display their names and IDs... Every shopkeeper and street vendor has to display their identification..."
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He stated that ID cards would be made and issued through the Street Vending Committee and would contain the registration number and key details of the vendors. Vikramaditya Singh placed special emphasis on the implementation of this mandate for food stalls/establishments.
Before this, he posted on Facebook that the directive was issued during a joint meeting with the Public Works Urban Development and Municipal Corporation. "In Himachal Pradesh, every restaurant and fast food stall will have to display the owner's ID, so that people do not face any difficulties," he wrote.
In Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday mandated the display of the name and address of operators, proprietors and managers of food centres in the state. He also directed that chefs and waiters should wear masks and gloves, besides making the installation of CCTV cameras in hotels and restaurants mandatory, PTI reported. These actions were announced in the wake of several worrisome incidents about the lack of food safety and hygiene in recent times, which have also made headlines across the country. The Chief Minister specifically highlighted instances of adulteration of food "with human waste and dirty things".
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