Thiruvananthapuram Restaurants Raided by Food Safety Officers

In the wake of the Sabarimala pilgrimage season, health safety officers have carried out inspections in over 1,238 eateries in the Thiruvananthapuram district. Since many pilgrims visit the area during this season so officers are ensuring that there is no spread of communicable diseases.

The district is already facing problems like food poisoning. Hepatitis, typhoid, diarrhoea has already been reported from the district so the Food Safety Officers are being very vigilant. They have closed down as many as seven hotels. The food authorities have slapped fine on several eateries, bakeries and catering centres. Also improvement notices have been handed out to several hotels, bakeries, cool bars, catering centres etc.

Out of the 314 notices given to various food business operators 103 were given notices because their kitchens were in an unhygienic condition. About 200 packets of milk were also destroyed in various tea stalls as health inspectors found them to be in a deteriorated condition. Since health and hygiene are the top concerns of the food safety officers as many as 85 teams of heath officers inspected about 1,238 eateries. The health officers found that many of the establishments

• Had unclean kitchens and food premises
• Cooks were suffering from health problems
• Food was found to be in a decayed state
• Water was found to be unsafe
• Staff in the hotels did not have health cards

As many as 121 food business operators did not have the mandatory FSSAI license for running a food establishment. The raids also brought to light that shops and food establishments alike had flaunted the FSSAI regulations

• 16 shops were found to be breeding grounds for mosquitoes
• 28 establishments were in an unhygienic state and could therefore encourage the spread of communicable diseases
• Some establishments were diverting waste water to other premises
• 35 eateries were fined because they had not taken proper measures to treat waste
• Most of the 2,753 staff in the various hotels had not had health checks

Police have sealed a hotel at Thembamuttom near Balaramapuram and booked its owner for attempting to manhandle the health officials. Many more food business premises are yet to be inspected.