KATHMANDU: As the second major festival of the year, Tihar, begins, the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has stepped up market monitoring and urged businesses to provide safe and hygienic food to consumers. The move targets sweet shop owners and workers associated with the confectionery trade across the capital.
KMC’s Agriculture and Livestock Department Chief, Nuranidhi Nyaupane, emphasized the city’s guiding principle of “Clean Food: Quality Business”. “During Tihar, sweet-based products consumed by the public must be safe, hygienic, and consumer-friendly. Business operators must comply with the law while ensuring clean food is made available,” Nyaupane said.
In preparation for the festival, KMC has conducted extensive training for sweet shop operators on technical and hygiene standards, legal provisions related to food businesses, safe operational practices, ingredients and colorants used in sweets, sales and distribution protocols, processing facilities, necessary physical infrastructure, and labeling requirements.
According to Santosh Giri, an advisor to KMC’s Food Hygiene and Quality Programme, the city is prioritizing empowerment, monitoring, and regulation to improve food businesses. “KMC expects sweet shop operators to enhance their awareness of hygiene and quality standards. We also plan to continue capacity-building programmes regularly in the future,” he said.
While market inspections were previously occasional, the city has made monitoring more systematic during festivals. Recent inspections of small hotels and restaurants in the New Baneshwor area revealed that many were operating in violation of standards. Nyaupane stated that businesses found violating the law were directed to comply, and failure to do so would result in legal action.
Nyaupane added that even minor negligence could lead to the spread of infections, making sanitation critical for the benefit of both businesses and consumers. “KMC does not intend to intimidate operators through inspections. Everyone should fulfill their duties and responsibilities. Maintaining hygiene benefits both consumers and business operators,” he said.
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