Norm violation: KMC holds food safety drive, fines restaurants

Kolkata: In a bid to ensure there is no adulteration of food, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) launched a food safety drive in the city wherein it has reportedly fined many restaurants in the city after food samples collected from them were found violating food safety norms.

It reportedly came to light that the civic body has conducted such in several restaurants in South Kolkata in areas Park Street, Park Circus, EM Bypass, Ballygunge etc. During the drive food samples were picked up from some of the renowned restaurants. On testing these samples, it was found that there was rampant use of metanil yellow, a dye that is used in the textile industry. Health experts say that the substance can cause serious health complications in the human body on being ingested.

A renowned restaurant in Park Circus was reportedly found using metanil yellow in their biriyani. According to reports, the restaurant had to pay a heavy fine amounting in lakhs. Similarly, another renowned restaurant in Ballygunge too was fined for adulteration of food.

KMC sources said that in several restaurants, including in Park Street, it was found that ingredients of inferior quality are being used for cooking while in several cases it was seen that fish and meat which have been stored for days are being used. The civic body is said to have collected more than Rs 20 lakh as fine during its recent food safety drive.

It was learnt that the civic body will be conducting such frequent food safety drives, especially during the festival months such as Durga Puja. KMC sources said that the civic body will also start a food safety awareness campaign in boroughs to make people aware of the food safety norms set by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).