South Dum Dum Municipality raids prawn processing unit

Kolkata: Civic body officials of South Dum Dum Municipality led by chairman Panchu Gopal Roy on Friday raided a prawn processing unit at ward 21.

"We had received a source information about some irregularities in the prawns that are stored at the unit. Accordingly, we conducted a raid and have found that some sort of reddish colour was added to the prawns.

We are not ruling out the fact that it may be some sort of preservative that was mixed with it. We have sent it for examination at our government laboratory for examination," chairman said.

The team from the municipality also conducted a drive at a multi shopping complex which has a food court. Sources in the health department of the municipality said samples were collected from as many as 12 restaurants that have been sent for tests. "Apparently our officers have stumbled upon irregularities in the way they deal with food. French fries have been found stored in refrigerators.

The meat at some of the restaurants was also emitting a foul smell. We have also found that leftover food was stored in refrigerator," Debasish Banerjee, chairman in council (public health ) said.

Customers in some of the restaurants also c omplained about bad quality food and welcomed the civic body's drive to ensure quality of food.

"We are waiting for the reports and if we found any irregularity we will take strong action against the offenders as per law," Roy said.