GUWAHATI: Assam minister of state for health and family welfare, Pijush Hazarika has pledged to take stern action against sweetmeat shop owners not complying with the prescribed hygiene standards.
“We will take strict action as per law against sweet shop owners not adhering to the hygiene standards required. Let me assure you that from those selling food in the footpaths to five-star hotels the drive against spurious and unhygienic food and chemical-laced fruits that are harmful to human health will continue till we are in the government,” Hazarika told a section of reporters on Thursday.
The health minister, along with a team of food safety officials, inspected seven sweetmeat shops and an edible oil wholesale outlet in the Fancy Bazar area on Thursday.
“One of the kitchens of a sweet shop inspected did not meet the prescribed hygiene standards and the owner was give a week’s time to meet the same,” said a food safety official who has accompanied the minister.
Over the past two weeks Hazarika has paid surprise visits to fruit godowns, milk outlets, restaurants and sweetmeat shops and directed traders to maintain cleanliness and hygiene or face action.
The food safety department has initiated the drive against godowns stocking carbide-laced mangoes and bananas across six districts of Assam a month back and subsequently destroyed 34,500 kilograms of such mangoes and 909 bunches of bananas.
“We have conducted inspections in Kamrup (metro), Jorhat, Bongaigaon, Dhubri, Nagaon and Morigaon districts so far. This drive will be taken to the other districts as well in the coming days,” he said.
The food safety department had also tested eight samples of milk in Kamrup metro district so far and two were found to be sub-standard. “The tests were carried out by mobile vans in the district and it will be an ongoing process,” he said.
