In a most appreciative steps against adulterated and contaminated food items served in different shops and bakeries in different locations of Agartala, the SDM (Sadar) along with officials of Food, Legal Metrology departments and food safety commission launched a special drive against adulterated and contaminated food sold in few shops on Monday morning, who are becoming a threat for most concerning issues of hygienic and health safety.

Official sources said that based on specific information of expiry, adulterated and contaminated packaging food items are being sold at Agartala’s renowned ‘Cake Plaza’ shop at RMS Chowmuhani and its adjoining shops, the joint of SDM, Food and Legal Metrology departments under the direction of Director of Food department raided these shops.

During their raid at the ‘Cake Plaza’ shop formerly known as ‘Aparupa Varieties’, the team during their long inspection after food testing, found contaminated storage of many bakery items, fungal food stored and package food items without manufacturing dates, expiry items and expiry chemicals used for preparation different cakes and many bakery items were also found less weight in comparison to its seal pack.

The team collected samples of all food items, different kinds of bakery items for laboratory tests.

Giving details of the raids, Food Control of Sadar subdivision, Pradip Kumar Bhowmik and Legal Metrology officer  Souvik Bardhan Roy said that based on the direction of the Director of Food and Civil Supply department, Nirmal Adhikari , the team found many discrepancies and shops like ‘Nabarupa’, Balaji Sweets and Sri Krishna Hot Tips along with Cake Plaza.

After monitoring the adulteration and contamination of food items, the team put all these shops under suspension of selling and distribution of packet food items and also sealed these shops.

He said that Agartala’s renowned ‘Cake Plaza’ are selling many packet food items , which are expired, less weight and serving different cakes prepared with expiry food chemicals.

 “We asked the Food Safety Commissioner to check the adulteration of foods and after finding reports of all collected samples, the department will take all legal steps as per food safety act”, said Souvik Bardhan Roy.

He said that the raids will continue and if necessary, other shops and bakeries found to be serving or preserving contaminated and expired food items will also be closed down in coming days.

However, Bardhan Roy added that their enforcement team will carry out extensive raids on shops of food vendors in street corners across Agartala and will continue their raids till the owners are not obeying the safety norms for food.