In a significant move against adulterated and unhygienic food items being sold across Agartala city, the enforcement team of the SDM (Sadar), along with officials from the Health Department, Food Safety Commission and Legal Metrology Department, conducted a special raid on Wednesday targeting reputed sweet shops in the city.
The drive was launched following long-standing allegations regarding the sale of substandard and contaminated food items at several eateries and sweet shops in Agartala, raising serious concerns over public health and hygiene.
The operation, carried out under the initiative of the Chief Medical Officer’s office, was led by District Health Officer Amartya Debnath. During the inspection, raids were conducted at three well-known sweet shops in the city — Mithai, Joy Gopal Mishtanna Bhandar and Sherawali.
Officials said that many of the allegations were found to be true during the inspection. Sweets and other food items were reportedly being prepared in dirty and unhygienic conditions, posing potential health risks to consumers.
The shop owners were instructed to immediately improve cleanliness and sanitation standards at their production units. Officials also warned that strict legal action would be taken if similar conditions are found during future inspections.
During the drive, the enforcement team collected samples of cooked food items, edible oil, sweets and water used for cooking and drinking purposes for laboratory testing.
“We have requested the Food Safety Commissioner to examine the collected samples for adulteration. Necessary legal action will be taken under the Food Safety Act after the reports are received,” an official present during the raid said.
Another official described the findings as alarming and said it was unacceptable for restaurants and sweet shops to serve contaminated and unhygienic food to the public.
The administration further stated that such extensive raids would continue across Agartala to ensure proper hygiene and food safety standards. Officials also indicated that inspections would soon be extended to roadside food vendors and markets, including MG Bazar.
It may be recalled that a large number of restaurants, hotels and street food stalls have mushroomed across the city in recent years, many allegedly operating without proper hygienic arrangements and often serving adulterated food items that may lead to gastroenteritis, food poisoning and other health hazards.