Dhenkanal: Ahead of the upcoming Ganesh Puja, food safety officials on Friday conducted a special inspection drive at 13 commercial establishments in Dhenkanal town and destroyed around 240 kg of stale and expired food items and 34 litres of repeatedly used burnt cooking oil, officials said.
The establishments inspected included sweet shops, hotels, fast-food centres and fruit godowns. During the drive, authorities collected a total fine of Rs 1.77 lakh from defaulters for maintaining unhygienic conditions, unsafe storage of drinking water and food items, and allegedly using harmful carbide for ripening fruits.
Officials also collected 11 samples of suspected food items and sent them for laboratory analysis.
The administration warned that strict inspection drives would continue during the festive season against traders found compromising food safety and public health. Traders have been directed to maintain proper hygiene and comply with food safety regulations.
The joint inspection was carried out by Sub-Collector Padma Charan Sahu, Food Safety Officer M Swagatika, a police team, the Dhenkanal Municipality Enforcement Squad and officials of the Food Safety Department.
