Hyderabad: Mayor Gadwal Vijayalakshmi for strict measures to stamp out food adulteration

Hyderabad: Mayor Gadwal Vijayalakshmi on Monday held a meeting with food safety officials at the GHMC headquarters. She said there were many allegations against the food safety officials who neglect checking shops in circles.

During the meeting, the Mayor instructed the officials to pay special attention to prevent food adulteration; appropriate action will be taken against their negligence.

Additional Commissioner of Health Dr Shruti Ojha, Assistant Food Controller Balaji Raju and Gazette Food Inspector Sudarshan Reddy were present.

Ojha said, "due to lack of inspection of food items sold on footpaths, people are falling sick by consuming such food."

She ordered officials to conduct mandatory inspections and take strict action against adulteration.

The Mayor said many allegations were being leveled against the food safety officials that they are not taking strict action to prevent adulteration. She warned that disciplinary action would be taken against the officials.

She said food items should be checked; samples should be collected from all shops, including street joints, hotels and restaurants. She directed officials to submit daily reports of inspections and samples collected by the food safety officials.

The Mayor directed them that members of associations of grocery shops and other businesses should be made aware to avoid selling of adulterated and substandard items.

She said restaurants violating rules should be issued notices to and their licences should be suspended immediately.