17 hotels served closure notice
Department has issued show cause and improvement notices to 316 eateries
Kochi: The health department has issued closure notice to 17 hotels and two bakeries for poor hygiene and selling substandard food. Four hotels were ordered to be closed in Aluva as well.
The department , which inspected these establishments, has also issued show cause and improvement notices to 316 eateries, including hotels, cool bars, bakeries, canteens, catering centres and soda factories.
It found many of the eateries functioning in filthy conditions with no proper sanitation or quality drinking water. Employees did not have health cards as required by the health authorities.
The inspection was done as a precaution against outbreak of infectious diseases in the district in the Sabarimala season. It was conducted by 88 squads of the health department in 84 panchayats and 11 municipalities.
As many as 489 hotels, 136 cool bars, 260 bakeries, 42 catering centres, 28 soda factories, 19 canteens and 104 other firms were raided in all.
Additional district medical officer Dr. Suhitha, and officials of the health wing of Thrikkakkara, Tripunithura, and Perumbavoor were among those involved in the drive.