MillenniumPost
Bengal

Award for exposing poor quality food

Kolkata: Determined to put a leash on the sale of inferior and adulterated food by a section of unscrupulous businessmen, the South Dum Dum Municipality has decided to award people who would come up with evidence of such unfair practices in the area of the municipality, thereby helping the civic body to take action against them.
"We have been conducting regular drives against bad quality food to ensure that it is not compromised by any means. However, we have to admit that it is impossible for the municipality alone to keep an eye on every nook and corner of the 35 wards. Hence, we want to involve the citizens in this social cause. People, who will lodge complaints of such unfair practices with the municipality with evidence, will be awarded by us," Debasish Banerjee, Chairman-in-Council (public health) said. Complaints can be lodged through calls, text messages or WhatsApp messages on 9831221665. It may be mentioned that a team from the municipality led by its chairman Panchu Gopal Roy raided a prawn processing unit at ward 21 on Friday and found that some sort of reddish colour was being added to prawns. The team from the municipality also conducted a drive at a multi-shopping complex which has a food court.
Samples were collected from as many as 12 restaurants and the officials have come across several irregularities in the way they deal with the food. French fries were found stored in refrigerators.
The meat at some of the restaurants emitted a foul smell. Leftover food, stored in the refrigerator, was sent for tests. The hotel authorities, when asked about these irregularities, failed to provide any satisfactory answer. "We are sure that most of these businessmen associated with food business are using inferior quality food, posing serious health hazards to the consumers. We are waiting for the test reports of the samples that we have collected. They have been sent for examination at the state food laboratory in Entally. We will take strong action against the offenders as per law," a senior municipality official said.
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