Kochi: With small eateries and bakeries along the Metro corridor having to make way for it, illegal wayside vendors have taken their place, especially at Edappally junction.
With no one to check them, the vendors are operating in poor hygienic conditions, posing a serious threat to the health of their customers, especially during the monsoon when infectious diseases make an appearance with a vengeance.
“With a big shopping mall in the area and the Metro construction work in full swing, Edappally has become a very busy area. Consequently, several illegal wayside eateries have come up in areas adjacent to the signal junction. They have made the area filthy and are dumping their rubbish into drains,” complains a local resident, Rajendran.
As the eateries use any kind of water to prepare their food, hundreds of people who frequent them could easily fall sick, say others. “People can easily fall prey to water-borne diseases during the monsoon when there is a high chance of contamination. Everybody should be careful when going to wayside eateries,” warns Dr. Kuriakose, a health expert.
Meanwhile, there is growing public resentment over the lack of action by the corporation’s health department and food safety authorities to curb these illegal wayside eateries.
When contacted, corporation health committee chairman, T.K Ashraf, said the health department would inspect the area and take action against the illegal vendors operating in unhygienic conditions.
