Hyderabad : Food joints, hotels put on city civic body radar

Hyderabad : Now, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) keeps an eagle eye on all food joints, hotels, bakeries and also fruit sellers in the wake of increasing complaints of food adulteration and the use of chemicals to ripe the fruits in the market in GHMC limits.

As many as 21 food safety officers have been appointed to monitor the food safety in every circle on a daily basis, till recently, four food safety officials were only discharging duties in the entire GHMC limits.

Moreover, food safety officers were pressed into service to keep a check on restaurants that were serving stale food, not maintaining hygiene, charging heavy prices and not adhering to the prescribed rules in terms of food quality and hygiene standards.

Circle wise food inspections will be done on a large scale, informed an official of Food Safety wing. Food inspections are also being done by the health officers. "If any complaints are filed we will take immediate action," said an official.

"Strict action would be taken against those who stored food for a long time," the official added.

An official of food safety wing said, "A few restaurants are also were using unstamped meat being supplied by unauthorized slaughter houses."

As a part of the inspection in June a total of 108 samples were taken. Out which 35 samples were food items were lifted from bakeries, 37 samples of edible oils, 15 samples to check the quality of milk, 15 samples of mangoes and six other fruits samples were also lifted.