Govt to allow home delivery of bakery items ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr

Srinagar: The Srinagar district administration Friday decided to allow home delivery of bakery items in Srinagar by bakery units in the run up Eid-ul-Fitr falling by the end of this month.

In order to ensure that manufacturers follow all standard operating procedures in the production and delivery of bakery items, the authorities Friday held a counselling-cum-training programme for more than 180 bakers at Tagore Hall here.

Apart from district officials, the counselling session with the bakers was attended by leading doctors and food safety officers. Speaking to Greater Kashmir, DC Srinagar, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, who interacted with the bakery manufacturers, said they were being trained to follow all standard operating procedure.

“We have to understand that this problem (Covid-19) is going to stay with us for some time. Today we provided training to 180 bakers to ensure that SOPs are followed while production and home delivery of bakery products,” Choudhary said.

“The deliveries have to happen with complete precaution and only selected items of packaged bakeries will be allowed for home delivery,” the DC said.

He said Personal Protective Equipments (PPEs) were distributed among 180 bakers on Friday to ensure that delivery mechanism is in line with the SOPs. Choudhary said in days to come the administration will also hold training sessions “for other service providers such as hair dressers and saloons, vegetable vendors, auto-rickshaw drivers, handloom and handicraft units holders, to prepare the city to be opened up once again.”

He said the bakers were informed that Covid-19 testing of persons involved in trade/service sectors including bakery will be conducted in a phase wise manner. “We have told the bakers to have thermal scanners outside their production units and ensure all safety mechanisms are followed,” Choudhary said.

The DC Srinagar said service providers, as also the bakers will be provided certification after completion of their “Covid-19 precaution” training.

“There would be second phase of training of the bakers with doctors and food safety officers, after which they will be certified. Their testing for Covid-19 will also be done. We have also asked them to bring it to our notice in case they find someone in their production units with symptoms of covid19,” the DC Srinagar said.

Speaking with Greater Kashmir, Omar Mukhtar, president, Kashmir Bakers and Confectioners Association, who was also a part of the counselling programme, said the training-cum-interaction session was “quite productive”.

“We are glad that home delivery of bakery has been allowed. This will provide a great relief for both bakers as well as the customers,” Mukhtar said.

“The rate lists are provided on the social media and we will ensure that best quality bakery will be provided at the doorsteps of customers,” Mukhtar said.