Bhubaneswar: In response to a rise in diarrhoea cases across Odisha, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Wednesday launched a crackdown on eateries and sweet shops in multiple areas of the city. Several establishments were penalized for violating hygiene norms.
Inspections were carried out in key localities including the Aerodrome area, Soubhagya Nagar, Chandrasekharpur, District Centre, Prakruti Vihar, Delta, Patia, and the KIIMS area. BMC officials focused on checking hygiene practices, water sources, and the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) by staff.
“One shop was fined Rs 20,000 for serious lapses. Rainwater was found entering the premises, the surroundings were unhygienic, food items were left uncovered, and PPE was not being used. This is an initial warning; repeat violations will lead to the sealing of the establishment,” said a food safety officer.
According to a post from BMC’s official handle on social media platform X, a total of 18 food samples and 16 water samples were collected during the raids. Approximately 50 kilograms of stale food were destroyed over the two-day operation.
“Heavy penalty was imposed on the violators by the team,” read the BMC’s social media post.
