Rajkot: Food establishments across Bhavnagar district have been directed to install CCTV surveillance systems in kitchens and food storage areas within 30 days under a new order aimed at improving food safety, hygiene standards and consumer transparency.The order, issued on Tuesday by district magistrate Manish Kumar Bansal, applies to food establishments in urban and rural areas. The administration said the measure is intended to curb food adulteration, improve hygiene practices and prevent illegal or anti-social activities in areas where food is prepared and stored.The directive covers food businesses regulated under the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011, particularly those where kitchens are separate from dining areas or are not directly visible to customers. Hotels, restaurants, resorts, clubs, canteens, dining halls, cafes, fast-food outlets and cloud kitchens are among the establishments covered.Under the order, high-resolution colour CCTV cameras must be installed at key locations, including raw material storage areas, cooking platforms, entry and exit points, dishwashing sections and waste-disposal areas.The cameras in storage facilities are intended to monitor the handling of grains, vegetables and non-vegetarian food items and help prevent the use of stale or contaminated ingredients.Surveillance near cooking platforms will monitor food preparation practices and staff hygiene. Cameras at entry, exit and waste-disposal points will track movement and waste-handling practices.The administration has specified technical requirements for the systems. Cameras must provide clear footage with accurate date and time stamps and be positioned to ensure complete coverage without blind spots. Food business operators have been instructed to clean camera lenses regularly to maintain visibility affected by steam or grease. Night-vision cameras have been recommended for poorly lit storage areas.Under the administration’s “Open Kitchen” initiative, food establishments have been directed to display live CCTV footage from their kitchens on television screens in dining or waiting areas. The initiative is intended to allow customers to observe food preparation practices in real time.Establishments must also display notices at entrances and billing counters informing customers that kitchen areas are under CCTV surveillance.The order requires food businesses to retain CCTV footage for at least 15 days. Recordings may be reviewed during food safety inspections, consumer complaints, legal investigations and other official inquiries.Food business operators must provide the footage immediately when requested by district administration officials, food safety officers, consumer protection officials or police authorities.The administration has warned that tampering with, editing or deleting CCTV recordings to suppress complaints or conceal violations will invite legal action.All food businesses covered by the directive have been given 30 days from the date of the notification to comply with the order and complete installation of the required surveillance systems.
