Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Tuesday intensified inspections at sweet shops in Pahala, deploying a testing van to examine the quality of chhena and paneer amid concerns over adulteration ahead of the festive season.
The BMC health department inspected several prominent sweet shops in the area to check whether prohibited substances were being used in chhena and paneer and whether food safety norms were being adhered to. Suspected samples were collected and sent for laboratory examination, officials said.
The civic body warned that legal action would be initiated against establishments found violating food safety regulations.
The latest inspection followed similar enforcement drives conducted across Bhubaneswar at sweet shops, hotels and paneer outlets. During Monday’s drive, around 100 kg of old paneer was seized and destroyed, while two suspected samples were sent for laboratory testing.
Twelve traders were fined a total of Rs 12,000 for violations of food safety norms, according to reports. BMC officials said nearly 200 kg of paneer seized from various locations over the past two days was found unfit for consumption and subsequently destroyed.
Cases have been registered against some establishments, while improvement notices were served on others, officials said.
The enforcement drive has also affected the supply of chhena to sweet shops in Pahala. Around 100 shops in the area had earlier been receiving nearly 4,000 kg of chhena daily, but supplies have dropped considerably following the anti-adulteration campaign.
The BMC has advised consumers to exercise caution while purchasing sweets and paneer and report suspected instances of unsafe food through its complaint mechanism.
