PANAJI
On the cusp of the new tourism season, the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) in Goa has gone into overdrive, randomly inspecting restaurants, street food kiosks, and outlets trading in packaged food items, including cashew nuts and dry fruit selling shops.
Over 250 small, medium, and large outlets, including high-value restaurants, have been inspected to date by two teams of the FDA operating separately in North and South Goa since August this year.
FDA sources said a few dozen have been served notices and levied fines as prescribed by the FSSAI law, and in some cases where they have been operating without any licences, directions have been issued to other authorities to shut them down.
“Eateries and outlets operating without licences are removed by the local bodies in whose jurisdiction they operate. The FDA issues such directions to the panchayats or civic bodies along with the inspection reports,” a top FDA official said.
On Tuesday, the team in North Goa was inspecting eateries in the Porvorim area, and samples of food items were taken for laboratory tests.
“Based on the outcomes of the laboratory tests, a decision is taken either to fine the establishment or file a criminal case before the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC),” the official said.
The surprise inspections are carried out every day, the official said, adding that on average, three to four establishments are inspected by each of the two teams in North and South Goa.
Last week, the North Goa team conducted an intensive inspection drive against outlets selling packaged cashew nuts in Calangute following complaints.
“We sealed one shop, and the process of filing a case has been completed,” said the official, who did not wish to be identified because he is not authorised to speak to the media.
Meanwhile, FDA sources said there is a general lack of inertia on the part of panchayats and civic bodies to follow up on their directions to shut down outlets found in breach of hygiene and safety standards, operating in their jurisdiction.
Goa has seen a big spike in the number of people venturing into restaurant and food businesses, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted the job market and left them without livelihoods.
With these daily inspection drives, the FDA is now making sure safety standards and hygiene practices prescribed in the FSSAI law are followed in the sector.
