The heat is on for the city’s eateries. As part of the gameplan for next year’s sports extravaganza, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has surveyed around 1,000 eateries in prime areas and the result isn’t the brightest item on the menu: they were all found lacking in hygienic practices.

The good news, though, is that CII feels proper training will raise the standards to adequate levels well before the Games kick off next October 3. The eateries surveyed are in Connaught Place, Dilli Haat, Greater Kailash, South Extension and near the Commonwealth Games Village.

The report is part of the first phase of CII’s surveys — an initiative of the state government to identify and rate all eateries in the Capital before the Games. The industry body will next survey eateries in the rest of the city.

The report, according to CII director-general Chandrajit Banerjee, has been submitted to the state government and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). CII, Banerjee said, will start training the staff of these 1,000 eateries to follow the food safety norms from next month.

“While most of the eateries that we checked have not been maintaining prescribed hygienic conditions, it is not really difficult to achieve the required standards,” Banerjee said. “With good training, it can be achieved well before next year.”

He said the aim is to bring about awareness of health, food safety and quality standards. “After we finish with the survey, we will begin training the staff at these eateries,” he said. “Once that is done, we will rate all the food joints. By the time the Games start, all food joints, including vendors, will maintain prescribed food safety norms.”

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