Sambalpur: Food Safety Department’s Strange Rules; Favoring Big Players, Targeting Small Vendors
Sambalpur: Street vendors have faced heavy fines recently. For example, a fine of ₹200 was imposed for using poor-quality water while selling gupchup. Small fast-food stalls on the roadside, using excessive coloring in chicken, have been fined between ₹200 and ₹500. Regular inspections are being conducted on small vendors selling items like dahi bara, singhada, and pakodi from carts. If the food quality is not up to the mark, fines are imposed, and warnings are given. However, these crackdowns seem to be limited to small vendors only.
Despite large hotels, restaurants, and renowned companies storing meat in deep freezers for months, no action has been taken by the Food Safety Department. Allegations have surfaced that officials are hesitant to inspect big restaurants and hotels. This selective enforcement raises concerns among the public about the fairness of the department’s actions.
Public Complaints
Haresh Patel, a resident of Sambalpur, visited a well-known restaurant in the Ainthapali area with his family. However, he found the food quality to be extremely poor. After having a meal, he argued with the restaurant staff and left.
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Similarly, yesterday, Vikas, another resident, visited a star hotel on VSS Marg and ordered biri bara. The dish was so sour that he couldn’t even finish it. When he inquired with the hotel staff, they claimed it was South Indian food, which is supposed to be slightly sour. However, Vikas argued that it wasn’t just sour but had gone stale. These are just two examples, and there have been multiple complaints about the food quality in several big hotels across the city. Despite these, no action has been taken by the Food Safety Department, leading to widespread dissatisfaction.
Concerns About Food Quality in Big Hotels
Across the city, the quality of food served in many big hotels has been questioned multiple times. But the Food Safety Department has neither taken action nor conducted inspections. Allegations of favoritism towards big hotels have emerged, with small vendors facing the brunt of inspections and fines.
Official Statement from the Food Safety Department
The Food Safety Officer of Sambalpur district stated that regular inspections are being conducted on roadside food vendors. Over the past two weeks, fines totaling ₹1,500 have been imposed. However, due to a shortage of challan books, inspections in hotels have been temporarily halted. The officer mentioned that inspections would resume once new challan books arrived from Cuttack.
