Kozhikode: Corrupt officials to come under lens

KOZHIKODE: The district administration is planning to launch a programme named ‘Operation Bulls Eye’ to monitor the officials of various departments, including food safety, health and local administration, in the wake of allegations of their collusion with erring hoteliers to dilute the food safety and health parameters.  

A high-level meeting of officials held at the collectorate recently discussed the allegations levelled by a section of the hotel and restaurants owners over the bribery by officials. District collector N. Prasanth refused to divulge more information regarding the monitoring cell  saying it would be a confidential intra-departmental affair.

A section of hoteliers had recently alleged that there were some officials who extracted huge sums from the erring hoteliers and allowed them to go on with the violations leading to the current abysmal quality.   An officer told DC that many of the hotels stocked low-quality  food items. “If there was a system to check the hotels,  things would have been much better,”  he added.

There should be some monitoring over the officials who verify the hygiene of the food outlets, he added. Recently,  the food safety wing had issued a notice to the canteen of the city corporation for operating in unhygienic conditions. District medical officer R.L. Saritha told DC that  strict action by the present team of food safety officials had  produced good results.  “Such  measures would help reduce the outbreak of   diseases,” she added.

The food safety department’s campaign against erring eateries will continue. District food safety officer P.K. Aleyamma told DC that the  situation warranted  quick action. The efforts of the department have helped  control food-related diseases like diarrhoea, it is said.