Don’t use saliva, blow into covers while packing food, says HC

The Madras High Court on allowing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) which sought to restrain employees at hotels, bakeries, restaurants, groceries from using saliva to separate food covers or blow into those covers while packing food amid COVID spread has sought the government to create awareness in this regard.

On recording the petitioner’s submission that this could be a reason for the spread of the pandemic as the virus could travel into the cover and may affect the contents of the cover, the first bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy on Tuesday sought the State government to look into the suggestion.

“As far as the writ petition is concerned, the State should take note of the suggestion and create awareness or issue instructions to all businesses where such practice may be in vogue to encourage the management to educate the employees so that they refrain from continuing with the practice, ” Chief Justice Banerjee said.

While Advocate-General R Shunmugasundaram appearing for the State took notice, the bench posted the plea for further hearing to July 6 after directing the State to file a report on the steps taken in pursuance of the suggestion in the writ petition.

The plea moved by Advocate B Ramkumar Adityan sought appropriate directions to instruct and educate employees at hotels, restaurants, bakeries, groceries and food packaging industries to desist from the usual practice of separating paper or open covers by either touching their fingers to the tongue or by blowing into the covers.

The plea sought appropriate directions to educate staff at hotels, restaurants, bakeries, groceries industries to desist from the usual practice of separating paper or open covers by either touching their fingers to the tongue or by blowing into the covers