20 eateries in Ernakulam shut in four-day crackdown

KOCHI: 20 hotels in the district have been closed down as the Food Safety Department’s intensive drive in the aftermath of repeated food poisoning cases across the state entered its fourth day.

After raids in as many as 154 restaurants over the last four days, the department served show-cause notices to 44 hotels in the district.Seven hotels in the district were shut down for operating without a license. While 13 were closed for functioning in an unhygienic condition.

“We’ve served compound notices on 44 hotels. Based on the turnover and the gravity of the offense, a compound fee will be collected. We will continue with our stringent drive across the district,” said John Vijayakumar, Assistant Commissioner, Food Safety Department.

The hotels closed included SR Foods, Lalitham, Madhavam at Tripunithura; Green Apple Juice and Shakes at Kaloor; Shara Food Court at Muppathadam; Cucumba Juzy Hut Tea & Snacks at Kolenchery; Kayayees at Mattancherry; and Sarbath Shameer at Padivattom.

Nine restaurants were given warnings before being fined, and five others were asked to make improvements. It was following the death of a nurse in Kottayam, allegedly due to food poisoning, that the health department issued a directive to intensify the drive across the state.