Over 80% juices, drinks sold on roadside stalls in Mumbai ‘unsafe’, says BMC
The health department of the BMC found that out of 968 samples of such drinks collected during last months drive, 786 or roughly 81% were unfit for consumption (Representational Image, Courtesy: The Global Explorer)
Over 80 percent of juices and drinks being sold on roadside stalls in Mumbai are unsafe for human consumption, the BMC has said.
The findings are the result of a drive conducted by the health department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) last month, during which it inspected several stalls on roadsides selling lemonade, sugarcane juice, and ice pops.
“Out of tor 968 samples of such drinks collected from various stalls, 786 (around 81.1 percent) were found to be unsafe and unfit for consumption,” a senior civic official said.
The civic body, after taking cognisance of the findings, has decided to take stern action against vendors selling such unhygienic drinks – the primary cause of water-borne diseases among consumers.
“The civic officials have been regularly inspecting roadside stalls and destroying such contaminated drinks. We don’t want to take any chance with people’s health,” he said.
Back in March, the Central Railway division of Indian Railways banned the sale of lemon and other syrup-based juices at food stalls under its jurisdiction after a video of such a drink being prepared unhygienically went viral on social media.
According to another civic official, the sale of lemon and other synthetically flavoured juices made my mixing water goes up in the summer season.
While the work on weeding out such errant vendors continues, officials have urged people not to consume drinks sold at roadside stalls.
