3,044 food safety checks held during monsoon in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram
As many as 3,044 inspections have been made by the Food Safety department in the monsoon season. The inspections will be strengthened in the monsoon, Minister for Health Veena George said in a statement on Saturday.
After various operations undertaken by the department were clubbed together under the single name of Operation Life, 3,044 inspections had been conducted, in which 107 establishments found responsible for serious lapses were closed down.
As many as 439 establishments had been given rectification notice and 426 given compounding notice, and 1,820 surveillance samples and 257 statutory samples collected.
The focus of the monsoon inspections, which would continue till July 31, was on hygiene, Ms. George said.
Licence of the establishments and health cards of the employees were being checked. Directives had been given to check the purity of drinking water. Only ice made from clean water was allowed to be used.
The inspections focussed on harbours, border check-posts, markets, and auction centres. Fish, meat, milk, grocery, vegetables, and shawarma were particularly being checked. Services of mobile testing lab too were being made available. Strict action would be taken against those guilty of lapses.
The Minister said in the past financial year, 65,432 inspections had been held and fines to the tune of ₹4.05 crore imposed. In May alone, this came to ₹25.77 lakh. The special task force conducted inspections in 448 institutions last year.
- Telegram
SEE ALL
PRINT