Over 150 street vendors trained for hygienic service ahead of Bali Yatra

Cuttack: To ensure safe and hygienic food service ahead of Bali Yatra, the food safety commissioner’s office on Saturday trained over 150 street food vendors in Cuttack, including popular dahi-bara, gup-chup, chaat and fast food sellers.“Through this training, we are not only equipping vendors with hygiene practices but also empowering them to maintain Cuttack’s reputation for safe and delicious street food,” said Pratikshya Mohapatra, food safety officer. “Clean food and polite service will enhance the overall experience for every visitor,” added Mohapatra.During the session, over 150 vendors were oriented in maintaining cleanliness in stalls, safe food handling methods, waste disposal, and personal hygiene practices.

Officials demonstrated proper hand-washing techniques, sanitisation norms, and importance of using clean water and fresh ingredients. Each participating vendor received a complete hygiene kit that included aprons, head caps, gloves, and masks as part of the initiative.

Trainers also emphasised courteous conduct and communication given the huge footfall Bali Yatra draws every year.“Street food is an integral part of Cuttack’s culture and we want to ensure visitors enjoy it safely,” said Rajesh Kumar, one of the trainers.

“We taught vendors how to handle food in hygienic conditions and behave politely with customers. Our goal is to improve their service standards and ensure public health is protected during the festival,” added Rajesh.“This training is very helpful for us. We serve thousands of people during Bali Yatra, so learning proper hygiene rules and customer behaviour, which will benefit both us and the visitors. We want people to enjoy our food without any worry,” said Pradipta Kumar Sahoo, popularly known as Babula dahibara, who has been serving the street food for 38 years.