Health dept raids, closes civil station canteen

KOCHI: An unauthorised canteen operating in the Civil Station, Kakkanad  was shut down following a raid conducted by the Health Department on Friday. The team seized stale food, oil and vegetables. The two other hotels near Civil station - Hotel Alakapuri and Ayodhya - were also closed down for the same reason. Sources with the Collectorate said that this was the first time a raid of this sort was conducted inside the civil station. Following the raid most of the hotels near Civil station and Thrikkakara remained closed. P Sreenivas, district health officer, who conducted the raid said that the canteenwas running without license and the kitchen was totally unhygienic. “The food and oil were stale. The water was also contaminated. Chlorination of the water was not carried out. Besides, there are no basic facilities to dispose the waste,” he said. The canteen which was operational since 1981 was running without a license and a health card. It seems strange that an unauthorised canteen could function right under the nose of the authorities. P Sreenivas confirmed that the canteen was operating without a health card and license. “ The canteen is usually auctioned to contractors” sources said.The Additional District Magistrate E K Sujatha had to interfere as the canteen staff tried to open it even after it was closed down by the officials. Even after ADM interfered the canteen staff seemed to serve the food. “They tried to open the canteen. But strict warning was given to them and was asked to close down the canteen,” said E K Sujatha. As the raid was conducted in the early morning, most of the staff of the civil station were not aware of the raid and the closing down of canteen, sources said. When asked about the functioning of the canteen without a license, the Additional District Magistrate said that it was not brought into their attention. “The Health department is yet to furnish the report before us. Stringent action will be taken against them, once it is confirmed that they were operating till date without a license and a health card,” ADM said.  The Health officials said that further actions will be taken once the results are out.