After more than one incident of suspected food poisoning was reported from different parts of the state, Kerala Health Minister Veena George said that restaurants serving adulterated or stale food shall lose their license. On December 29, over 100 people took ill due to suspected food poisoning at a baptism feast in Pathanamthitta district. The same day, one woman died and more than two dozen others reportedly suffered from food poisoning after eating at a restaurant in Kottayam.
The woman, identified as 33-year-old nurse Reshmi, died after allegedly showing symptoms of food poisoning, The Indian Express reported. More than 20 other people also took ill after they all had kuzhimanthi and al faham at a restaurant. Reshmi, who worked at the Kottayam Medical College, died on Tuesday, January 3.
Protests broke out soon after the news of her death came out, and members of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) attacked the restaurant building, breaking its name board.
“Adulteration of food and serving stale food is a criminal activity. If any restaurant serves such food, the license of the establishment will be suspended. Once suspended, it will be very difficult to get a license again. This is something that seriously affects the lives and health of people,” Veena George said on Tuesday.
The Minister had ordered an enquiry soon after the incident in Pathanamthitta, where people took ill, allegedly after eating at a baptism ceremony at a church near Keezhvaipur. One of them is seriously ill and in hospital, while the others are out of danger, the police said. A case has been filed against the caterers. Food samples were collected and sent for testing, the police said.
After Minister Veena’s order, the Food Safety Department is conducting a probe. “The food safety commissioner of an area will ensure that every establishment under it has the proper license and registration, conduct routine checks, and take prompt action against complaints. During the recent holiday season (close to Christmas and New Year), the food safety department conducted Operation Holiday, to carry out such checks. But now with these unfortunate incidents of food poisoning being reported, checks in all districts will be strengthened. If an establishment is found to have no license or registration, strong action will be taken against it. Establishments with license, if found to be unhygienic or adulterating food, will also face action.”
She added that a new grievance portal is coming up for the public to complain about unhygienic or stale food. They can add pictures or videos on the portal, she said.
As part of the Operation Holiday project conducted till December 31, 26 establishments were closed after 5,864 checks. On Tuesday alone, the food safety department conducted checks at 429 firms [that deal with food] and closed down 43 of them. Out of these, 21 were functioning without a license while 22 others were found to be operating in unhygienic conditions. When food safety officials reached Buhari Hotel in Thiruvananthapuram, the restaurant staff reportedly prevented the checks, after which the police arrived and closed it down.
Last year, a 16-year-old girl died due to food poisoning and several others were hospitalised after they ate shawarma at an eatery in Kasargod.