Cuttack: With the outbreak of cholera and diarrhoea in several parts of Odisha, the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) launched a crackdown on hotels and eateries in the busy Station Bazar area near Cuttack Railway station on Tuesday.
As per sources, the health team of the CMC sealed two hotels during the surprise inspection. The action was taken after these hotels were found to be operating in highly unhygienic conditions.
Water available at the hotels was also found to be of very poor quality, while food preparation was stated to be substandard.
The raids were conducted by the public health and food safety officials of the civic body as part of efforts to prevent further disease transmission during the monsoon season.
During the raids, the team members inspected the food preparation areas, ingredients, and water quality of several eateries and food stalls across the busy stretch, which is frequented by passengers to the station as well as students of the Ravenshaw University.
The inspection came following diarrhoea outbreaks in nearby Choudwar and other parts of the state, with food and water contamination flagged as likely vectors of infection.
Sources said several hotels in the Station Bazar area were inspected, and food samples were seized for laboratory analysis. In two places, the water used for cooking and cleaning failed to meet basic safety standards, while stale and improperly stored food items were found in kitchens.
The crackdown was significant as it came after detection of a new cluster of diarrhoea cases in Cuttack district. Over 15 persons from Sundari village under the Safa panchayat in Tangi-Choudwar block were hospitalised over the weekend with acute symptoms of the disease.
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