Five eateries closed after raids

Safe Kerala initiative to check infectious diseases

In raids conducted by Health Department officials in the capital district on Saturday, five eateries, including the canteen at the Neyyattinkara Government General Hospital, were closed after they were found supplying unhygienic food.

The other eateries closed were a canteen functioning at the comfort station at Neyyattinkara; two hotels at Poovar; a bakery at Puthenthope; and a hotel at Kilimanoor, a senior Health Department official toldThe Hindu .

The raids conducted as part of the Safe Kerala, an initiative to check infectious diseases and promote public health, found 93 teams drawn from various wings of the Health Department inspecting as many as 1,404 eateries in the district.

Food Safety Act

• Of these, improvement notices have been issued to 441 eateries and fine to the tune of Rs.19,000 was collected from various outlets.
• The fines were imposed under Section 69 of the Food Safety Act which has a provision for compounding offences. The team carried out checks in the eateries to ascertain the hygiene, including personal hygiene of cooks; quality of water; facility for dumping waste; and drainage facility, the official said.
• Raids in eateries were conducted across the State, the official said, adding that surprise inspections would be carried out in the coming months.

93 teams inspect 1,404 eateries

Rs.19,000 collected as fine, notice to 441 outlets