Bhubaneswar: After Kataka, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation’s health department intensified inspections at sweet shops in Pahala Tuesday, with officials using a testing van to check the quality of ‘chhena’ and paneer amid concerns over adulteration ahead of the festive season.
Officials inspected several popular sweet shops in Pahala to determine whether prohibited substances were being used in ‘chhena’ and paneer and whether food safety norms were being followed.
Suspected samples were collected for laboratory testing. Officials said legal action would be taken against businesses found violating food safety regulations.
The BMC had earlier conducted raids at sweet shops, hotels and paneer outlets across Bhubaneswar. During Monday’s drive, around 100 kilograms of old paneer was seized and destroyed, while two suspected paneer samples were sent for laboratory testing.
Twelve traders were fined a total of Rs 12,000 for violating food safety rules, according to reports.
BMC officials said around 200 kilograms of paneer seized from different locations over the past two days was found unfit for consumption and subsequently destroyed. Cases were filed against some shops, while improvement notices were issued to others.
The crackdown has also affected ‘chhena’ supplies to Pahala’s sweet shops. Around 100 shops in the area previously received nearly 4,000 kilograms of ‘chhena’ daily, but supplies have declined significantly following the anti-adulteration drive.
Officials have advised consumers to remain cautious while buying sweets and paneer and report suspected cases of unsafe food through the BMC’s complaint mechanism.
