Thiruvananthapuram: Food safety department has initiated steps to ensure clean and safe food in hotels and restaurants in the capital ahead of Attukal pongala.
In a surprise inspection conducted on Sunday, an inter-district special squad served closure notice to seven hotels in areas where pilgrims will be offering pongala. This is in addition to the closure of four hotels in the area in the past week.
The surprise inspection conducted in areas such as Attukal, Manacaud, Kamaleswaram, Attakulangara, Kuriathy, Killippalam, PRS Bund Road and Thampanoor has found that several hotels were functioning in unhygienic conditions despite the department serving improving notices earlier.
The hotels, which were served closure notices include 24 Inn cafe, Cafe Anjanam, Pappa restaurant and coolbar, Green Café, and Magic Juice and Bites (all near KSRTC bus stand Thampanoor), Hotel Panchali at East Fort and Soorya Fast food at Killipalam.
Ten squads, consisting of food safety officials from Kottayam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta and Kollam districts and headed by food safety assistant commissioner of Kollam K Ajit Kumar and technical assistant G Gopakumar conducted inspections from Sunday morning. A total of 223 hotels, restaurants and food business units were inspected. Of these 75 were served improvement notices. A fine of Rs 1.76 lakh was slapped on 37 units.
Food safety commissioner Veena N Madhavan said that strict inspections will be conducted in view of pongala festival in the coming days too.
In a separate inspection, which is being conducted since Tuesday, Annapathi Chat Store in Fort, Devan Fresh Juice in Pazhavangadi, Hotel Aswathy near Attukal Temple and Krishna Deppam at Kalady were served closure notice for their failure to comply with food safety norms.
Food safety officials said that a slew of reasons ranging from presence of rodents and fungus-infested vegetables to use of banned artificial colours are reasons behind serving closure notice to various food business units. Food safety assistant commissioner A K Mini said that the department has deployed 6 squads, consisting of a total of 28 members, to conduct inspections across 31 wards in areas where pilgrims will be offering pongala. “These squads will function 24 hours during festival time. A 24-hour control room too has started functioning. Organizations and individuals engaged in ‘annadanam’ must register at the control room. We have also tested samples of water from Attukal area,” she said.
Last year, the registrations for annadanam had crossed 500. Food safety department is expecting more people to register this year.
The department is also keeping surveillance on ice candy manufacturers which are often found to have presence of banned colours and artificial sweeteners.
In case of complaints, food safety department can be contacted at 8943346198, 8943346525, 8943346582 and 7593873324. Also toll-free number 1800 425 1125 is available. Sources at the food safety department said that name and details of the complainant will be kept confidential.
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