THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: New age, pocket friendly food trucks may be a boon for people, but their fight with restaurant owners who are not happy with the ‘illegal food joints’ sees no sign of abating. The Kerala Hotel and Restaurant Association (KHRA) had earlier secured an order from High Court order banning food vans. However, the Food Safety Act 2006 which gives licence has provided legal sanctity of sorts to these trucks. However, food vans continue to violate the Motor Vehicle Act and Municipal Act. Most of city’s food vans or trucks are anchored at wards such as Vazhuthacaud, Vellayambalam, Shasthamangalam, Palayam, Medical College and Kazhakoottam.
The owner tells that they are being persecuted by local restaurants through corporation and police. However, corporation officials point out that the food trucks don’t have their mandatory licence. “We have this A class restaurant opposite where we stop our food truck. If more than three-four customers are seen at our outlet, the hotel manager calls the police and corporation officials. We have put the matter to rest with the help of local councillor, but there are poor food truck owners who succumb to pressures,” a food truck proprietor at Vazhuthacaud said.
As per corporation officials, municipal rules do not allow them to give licence to a food truck. “The food joint has to function from a commercial building, not even a building with residential permit. The Central government had recently come up with a plan to rehabilitate street hawkers like those running thattukada. However, food vans do not fall even under this category,” said health superintendent C. Ajayakumar. Thiruvannathapuram Joint RTO K. Joshy said a vehicle that has been given permit to function as a goods or passenger carrier should be used for that purpose.
“Most of the food vans can relocate or change banners if food and safety officials catch them for violation. Food is often made in unhygienic places. This business at vantage points are not fair on a hotel owner who pays for a building after following all rules,” said G. Sudhiesh Kumar, patron of KHRA. The cost at a food truck is comparatively pocket friendly and bills on non-vegetarian delicacies are around 20-30 per cent cheaper than what is charged in a budget hotel.
