Food and Safety Department Conducts Quality Checks Ahead of Durga Puja, Fines Imposed on Defaulters

Jharsuguda : Ahead of upcoming Durga Puja celebrations, the Department of Food and Safety, along with �Jharsuguda Municipality�s sanitation officials, carried out joint quality inspection at various sweet shops, hotels, and fruit stalls on Friday. The drive aimed to ensure food safety and prevent the sale of substandard products during the festive season.
During the inspections, 4 kg of substandard sweets were destroyed, and fines totaling Rs. 8,000 were imposed on multiple sweet shops and fruit vendors for failing to meet food safety standards.
Led by Jharsuguda Food Safety Officer Sebastian Horo and supported by food and municipal sanitation officials, the initiative focused on ensuring that sweets, a key part of the Durga Puja festivities, are prepared and sold in a hygienic manner. Sources indicated that with the surge in sweet sales during the festival, there were concerns about stale products, harmful additives, and the excessive use of artificial colors. The raids aimed to ensure that consumers are not exposed to unsafe food items.
“Food safety department and Municipality are jointly conducting these checks ahead of the festive season to ensure sweets are made hygienically, and that shops maintain proper sanitation,” said Food Safety Officer Sebastian Horo. “We are also educating shop owners on how to maintain cleanliness and use high-quality raw materials. In addition, municipal officials are enforcing the ban on polythene use and issuing fines to violators.”
�The department plans to continue this drive throughout the Durga Puja period, extending checks to street food stalls to ensure food safety across Jharsuguda.� He added