Port Blair, Jan 12: A team of Food Safety Officers conducted surprise inspections of hotels, restaurants, dhabas and other food vending premises at Swaraj Dweep from 07th to 09th Jan, 2021. They inspected around 59 restaurants, 04 dhabas and 26 nos. of other food vending establishments and noticed major and minor violations of the provisions of Food Safety and Standards Act, Rules and Regulations.

Cases were registered against 13 restaurant operators for major violations and 15 restaurant operators have been served improvement notices for minor violations with the direction to rectify the defects within stipulated time period.

Further the team organized one awareness programme at Kalapathar Beach and one at Govind Nagar Panchayat Market and sensitized the food business operators about good hygienic and sanitary practices, safe disposal of bio degradable and non-degradable wastes, ill effects of repeated use of cooking oils and also advised the food business operators to refrain from wrapping of food products with news papers.

The Commissioner, Food Safety, A&N Islands/Dy. Commissioner, South Andaman has directed all the restaurants to maintain highest level of sanitary and hygienic conditions in their respective premises and follow the 12 golden rules of FSSAI. The general public may lodge any complaints or grievances on toll free No.1077 or 03192236168.