Transcript Profile: The Federation of Consumer Organisations

FEDCOT (Regd. No. 227/90)
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Federation of Consumer Organisations –
Tamilnadu & Pondicherry (FEDCOT)
Prof. P. Duraisingam,
Chairman & Chief Functionary – FEDCOT
2/84, Melachatram Street,
Paramakudi – 623 707,
Ramanathapuram District,
Tamil Nadu, India.
Profile:
The Federation of Consumer Organisations
– Tamilnadu & Pondicherry (FEDCOT)
The
Federation of Consumer Organisations
– Tamilnadu & Pondicherry (FEDCOT)
Is a secular, civic minded, voluntary and non
profitable organisation.
Volunteerism is the main thrust of FEDCOT.
FEDCOT
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Registered under society Registration Act of
Tamilnadu.
FEDCOT was founded in the State of
Tamilnadu in 1990 with 18 member
organisations.
Now 375 member organisations are
affiliated with FEDCOT in Tamilnadu and
Pondicherry.
More than 200 member councils in Semiurban and Rural areas.
Vision:
• “FEDCOT towards Quality of
Life”. Its main concern is not
only value for money but
more so, the value of people
and the quality of life.
Achieving this quality of life is
FEDCOT’s vision
Motto:
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Quality of Life through Awareness
Mission:
• FEDCOT acts as a Research, Training,
Education, Awareness creating and
Advocacy group. It builds linkages and
works in partnership with community
based organisations and grass root
communities to strengthen their capacity
and empower them to participate
through initiatives in socio, economic
accountable governance, sustainable
agriculture, gender equalization and
ecological endeavours
Safety of
Street Food Vending
INTRODUCTION:
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“Access to nutritionally adequate
and safe food is a right of each
individual”.
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Street food vendors are those who
do not have a permanent place of
sale and are very often mobile or
semi-mobile.
INTRODUCTION:
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Street Food Vendings are situated
on the pavements, on roadside,
outside complexes, Government
offices, beaches, parks etc.
Ensure availability of food at
affordable prices on the street for
all classes of consumers,
INTRODUCTION:
 Street food vending as a business,
provides a means of livelihood to many
unemployed in the urban area.
 Govt. to take necessary legislative actions
to ensure the availability of safe food, free
from food-borne diseases.
 Vendors are often treated as a nuisance.
FINDINGS
Street food vendors play an
important socio-economic role in
terms of employment potential,
particularly for women
Vendors usually locate themselves
in places that are easily accessible
to consumers:
The pavements - roadside near bus stops –
schools – parks - government offices etc.
Also located near garbage dumps and
municipal drains.
ROLE OF WOMEN
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Women provide assistance to
the vendor-owner in preparing
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serving of food, in the cleaning of
the utensils
used for the purpose of cooking
and in cleaning the vessels that are
used for serving food.
THREAT TO HYGIENE
 Varieties of food available at a street
vendor’s stall are numerous and a wide
range of them are capable of posing
health hazard.
 food is prepared in the area of vending
operation
 the pavement that is exposed to vehicular
emissions, garbage, sewage etc. Food
cooked in such conditions is bound to
have contamination.
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vendors hardly have any infrastructural
facilities for their vending business.
They are not legally recognised and
therefore do not enjoy or demand any
facilities, even basic facilities like supply of
water.
WHAT ACT SAYS:
• The PFA (Prevention of Food Adulteration Act)
provides for regular inspection of food sold.
• But food has not been inspected and no action
has been taken against them with regard to
their food being unfit for consumption.
• Almost all the street food vendors complain of
harassment by police and the municipal
authorities.
FACILITIES
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Vending units lack basic infrastructure
facilities.
No access to: clean water - adequate
lighting - availability of garbage disposal
and garbage collection facilities.
safety of food served at the vending areas is
vital.
Training in issues relating to food handling,
food safety, adulteration and nutrition might
be necessary.
The study found that none of the vendors
had undergone any such training.
STUDY RECOMMENDATIONS
 The study recommend that basic training (in the
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form of information and demonstrations) might be
required.
Street food cannot and must not be termed illegal.
Registration of street food vendors is desirable.
a registration help legitimise and de-stigmatise
street vending operation also save the vendors from
undue harassment.
Street vendors may register themselves and obtain
an identification card specifying the place of vending
and the kind of vending operation.
STUDY
RECOMMENDATIONS
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When Master Plans are drawn up streets that can
be used for vending and the time within which
they can be used for vending maybe specified.
“No-hawking zones” or “hawking zones” may be
specified.
Periodic food inspection is necessary to ensure
that the quality of the food served is safe.
Water should be provided by the local government
authorities to the street food vendor in light of the
earlier Supreme Court directive that it is the
responsibility of the State to provide water to all.
STUDY
RECOMMENDATIONS
• Street food vendors need training to handle
and serve food in the context of
contamination of food. Training should
include on-job training and through the
demonstration method.
STUDY RECOMMENDATIONS
 A self-regulatory mechanism
would work best, supported by
educational institutions, NGOs
etc.
 The community should also be
involved in monitoring the
vendors.
 The community is gradually able
to take on the responsibility.
STUDY RECOMMENDATIONS
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An overall policy or a law that recognises
and legitimises street food vending is
necessary to protect their rights.
The media should be used to educate
consumers about the various facets of street
food and clarify the myths surrounding it.
The Government of India’s Draft National
Policy on Street Vendors (issued in February
2003) was to be revisited in light of these
recommendations.
Thank you.