A food safety operation that began in Kolkata on Sept. 1 as part of Consumer Protection Week concluded Tuesday. The weeklong operation uncovered various irregularities at restaurants, food shops, sweet shops and bakeries across Kolkata, including rotten and stale food, spoiled fish and meat, and moldy cottage cheese and paneer. Evidence was also found of the use of banned and harmful artificial coloring in some food items.
The licenses of 40 Kolkata restaurants have been ordered temporarily suspended over violations of food regulations. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation said the licenses of these establishments would be permanently revoked if they fail to take the necessary steps to comply with health regulations within two weeks.
Officials from the state Food Safety Department and the Kolkata Municipal Corporation took part in the operation, which also covered food courts at several Kolkata shopping malls, notably South City Mall, Star Mall and Metropolis Mall.
Among the notable establishments whose licenses were suspended are Don Giovannis, Karim’s, Mistimukh, Al Salan, Simla Food, Zepto Limited, Brajaraj, Den Zong Kitchen, Sofia Hotel, Ganga, Biryani Corner, Shambhu Oil Mill, Royal Bengal Tiger Hospitality, Asia House, Dada Boudi Hotel, Taurashia Chaat, Meraki Bakery and Confectionary, Girish Chandra Dey and Bakery, Sri Krishna Sweets, Balaram Mullick and Radharaman Mullick Sweets, Matri Mishtanna Bhandar, Sheetala Mishtanna Bhandar, Mithai Bhandar and Shakti Mishtanna Bhandar.
Separately, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation has recommended shutting down 919 guest houses in the city, citing unhygienic conditions and noncompliance with guest house operating rules. However, 41 guest houses were found to meet the required standards during the inspection.
The Kolkata Municipal Corporation renewed its focus on the safety and hygiene standards of guest houses and hotels after a fire at a Kolkata hotel killed several Bangladeshi tourists. Inspections of various guest houses began as part of this renewed effort.
Consumer Protection Week was launched Sept. 1 in the New Market (Hogg Market) area of Kolkata. At the end of the week, Kolkata Municipal Corporation administrator Smita Pandey said the program had received an overwhelming response.
State Food Minister Ashok Kirtania said Tuesday that the previous government did not take food safety seriously, and that the current government would not compromise on food quality and safety. He said protecting public health is one of the government’s key objectives, and that the quality of drinking water would also be examined this time.
State Health Minister Sharadwat Mukhopadhyay said the operation was carried out both to raise public awareness and to ensure food quality. He said adulteration and the use of banned or artificial coloring in food items would not be allowed, and that storing food in refrigerators with false labels would also not be tolerated.