Hotel closed for flouting food safety norms
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 15 2016: New Hind Jalpan Hotel, Paona bazar has been indefinitely closed and its hotel license seized for not following the norms on hygiene under Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 .

The closure came after DESAM volunteers conducted an inspection drive at various hotels located at Paona Bazar at around 2.30 pm today.

The DESAM team led by their president M Angamba checked whether the eatable items sold in these hotels were hygienic and consumable.

As the student body informed the Chief Medical Officer of the State Medical Directorate about the drive, the Department also sent a team of Food Safety officers to take part in the inspection drive.

At New Hind Jalpan, Paona Bazar, the toilet located near the kitchen was found kept open with flies and mosquitoes buzzing all around.

Flies in frying pan and clothes over kilns define the hotel's standard

All the eatables and sweets which were ready to serve to customers were found scattered on a table without being covered.

Smelly and dirty clothes of hotel workers and staff were also found hanging above these eatables.

The water kept for preparing eatable items was mixed with the water kept for washing dishes while rusted edible oil tins were used to fetch water.

Hand of one of the cooks was seen swelling due to skin disease.

Taking note of all these unhygienic conditions, the Food Safety officers seized the license of the hotel and closed it indefinitely.

An officer told reporters that they received a call from the State Medical Directorate informing them about DESAM's drive when they were inspecting Down Town Hotel on BT road.

He said that the inspection drive at Down Town Hotel was conducted after they received a complaint from the teachers of Johnstone Higher Secondary School.

Soon after they collected food samples from Down Town Hotel they rushed to New Hind Jalpan Hotel to join the DESAM team, he said.

The officer further said that New Hind Jalpan Hotel was found violating the Schedule 4 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 .

Action can be taken against the hotel under Section 46 of the Act (unhygienic or unsanitary processing or manufacturing of food).

Good hygienic practices, good manufacturing practices and personal hygiene were not followed by the hotel, he said.

The officer further said that the Food Safety Authority had carried out a drive and given instruction to all the hotels located in Imphal area about the 'dos and don'ts' which are to be followed.

DESAM health and environment secretary Samurailatpam Devadutta urged the authority concerned to regularly check whether the eating joints and hotels possess necessary license and follow the Food Safety norms.

He said that at Anil Cha Hotel, mosquitoes were found breeding in the water tank.

Moreover, the hotel does not have any food safety certificate or license, he added.