Gujaratstartups, SURAT: To help citizens get an indication of the conditions surrounding a place where they dine, Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has decided to grade the city's hotels and restaurants on hygiene, facilities of public health and food quality.

A proposal to this effect has been placed for the approval of standing committee and is awaiting a go-ahead in Friday's meeting.

Medical health officer Dr Hemant Desai told TOI, "People are becoming conscious about the surrounding and condition of the place in which they eat. While the city is full of people who love their food, we have decided to grade city restaurants according to the services and quality they provide."

As per the proposal put before the standing committee, hotels and restaurants will be placed under category A, B and C. As many as 48 parameters have been fixed under five groups. A hotel with 100 to 80 marks will be categorised as A, that with 51 to 80 marks will be given B grade and those with 35 to 50 marks will slotted as C grade hotels.

The five groups include cleanliness, dining room, food and kitchen with a weightage of 29 marks, clean water and service, 15 marks, sanitation, 24 marks, ventilation, 8 marks and other special facilities with a weightage of 24 marks.

SMC sanitary inspector Mahesh Navsariwala said, "There are 918 registered hotels and restaurants in the city. A license holder will have to fill up an inspection form, following which the place will be inspected." The gradation, however, is not mandatory, but will help restaurant owners in establishing their name among people, he added. A deputy health officer will also cross check the inspection and random checking by the health officer will also take place.

Although a grade will be valid for a year, the health officer can issue notices in-between period if the restaurant is found to be not maintaining the required standard after obtaining a grade.

Meanwhile, the local hotel and restaurant association have been reacted cautiously to this news. Vice-president, Surat Hotel and Restaurant Owners Association, Sanat Reliya said, "We have had informal discussion with some SMC officials. We feel that the grading should be done for three years and a committee consisting of industry representative, faculty member, SMC officials and a local body representative should be there to decide on the grade of a particular place."

He did however add, "This system will benefit people, but at the same time it should not become a headache or a threat for restaurant owners."

Source: Times Of India