Hygiene check in hotels, commercial establishments

Reality check:Food Safety and Corporation Health officials conducting a check in a hotel in Tuticorin on Tuesday.

In a bid to prevent possible outbreak of dengue, Food Safety and Corporation Health officials conducted raids on hotels and other commercial establishments across the district on Tuesday.

As many as 211 establishments, including 172 food stalls, 12 anganwadi centres, three hostels and schools and 24 private establishments were raided by teams, led by District Designated Officer for Food Safety and Standards M. Jegadis Chandrabose and City Health Officer Pradeep V. Krishnakumar.

Notices issued

Show-cause notices were issued to proprietors of four eateries which were found to be unhygienic with water stagnating on the premises. Water stagnation was detected in a Tuticorin-based hotel kitchen as well. Mosquito larva sources were destroyed at 13 locations in various blocks, Dr. Chandrabose said.

Besides, proprietors of 45 establishments were issued forms to declare that they would maintain hygiene on their premises, he added.

Dr. Krishnakumar said total fine of Rs.13,000 was imposed on five proprietors, including one hotelier, in the south zone of the corporation for violation of The Public Health Act,1939.

The officials also checked for stagnation of water and storing of water in containers that did not have a lid. Thirty two establishments, including 18 food stalls and a few oil godowns, were inspected in this respect.

While accessing a house in the Third Street of Toovipuram, residents objected to larval source reduction work, Dr. Krishnakumar said, adding the people denied the team entry into the house without knowing the ill-effects of dengue. He sought public cooperation in ensuring eradication of dengue-causing mosquitoes.