NAMAKKAL: Namakkal Collector Dr S Uma on Monday held an inspection and ordered the closure of a mess for serving food of poor quality, which allegedly resulted in 38 people falling sick and getting hospitalized recently. She also penalised six shops found selling single-use plastic items.
According to a release from the district administration, the collector on Saturday received a complaint that over 30 people had been hospitalised after eating food served by a mess in Sendamangalam. The people suffered vomiting and dizziness. On Monday, Uma inspected the mess and found that it was functioning in an unhygienic manner and issued a notice to the proprietor and sealed the shop. The collector visited nine people who are admitted in Sendamangalam GH and conducted an inquiry.
Following this, the collector inspected seven hotels in the area and found one more mess serving poor-quality food and ordered its closure. A total of six shops found selling banned plastic were fined Rs 2,000 each.
Speaking to the media, the collector said people ate parotta and vegetarian korma from the mess in Sendarmangalam and developed symptoms of food poisoning. During an inspection, it was found that the mess had served poor quality food, which is a violation under Sections 26 and 27 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
Notice was also issued to a private clinic, which failed to notify the health department. “Over 18 people were treated in the clinic after suffering from food poisoning and the staff had failed to notify the health department. This is a violation of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897,” she said.