Surat: The Surat Municipal Corporation’s (SMC) health department sealed 43 more restaurants on Wednesday after food and sanitation teams found poor-quality food and unhygienic conditions during inspections across the city.With Wednesday’s action, a total of 60 restaurants and food outlets have been sealed in Surat over two days.The crackdown intensified following the death of a five-year-old girl and illness among four other family members, allegedly due to food poisoning after they consumed food from a local restaurant in Varachha.Officials said inspection teams checked 209 hotels and restaurants on Wednesday, including 34 dhabas. During the drive, teams found and destroyed 548 kg of poor-quality food. Notices were issued to 128 outlets for violations related to food safety, hygiene and sanitation standards.The 43 establishments sealed on Wednesday were found to have serious lapses, including unhygienic cooking areas, improper storage of ingredients and the use of substandard food items, officials said.The action was taken under provisions related to public health and food safety compliance .The SMC also collected administrative charges amounting to Rs 4.43 lakh during the enforcement drive.“The drive will continue across the city and the establishments serving food will be inspected thoroughly. Strict actions will be taken against those found violating norms”, a health official said.On Tuesday, 17 restaurants were sealed for violations and recovery of poor-quality food. Teams conducted checks across all nine zones of the city and inspected 330 restaurants and hotels.Officials destroyed 1,641 kg of substandard and unsafe food items from the inspected outlets. Besides sealing the units, the SMC served notices to 208 restaurants, directing them to comply with prescribed food safety and hygiene guidelines within stipulated timelines.The civic body also collected administrative charges totalling Rs 4.17 lakh from establishments during Tuesday’s operation.
