Gandhinagar, Aug 20 (IANS) Gujarat authorities have ordered the immediate closure of 137 restaurants after inspections found serious unhygienic and unhealthy conditions, in a statewide food-safety drive launched following the suspected food poisoning death of a five-year-old girl in Surat.

Health Minister Praful Pansheriya reviewed the enforcement drive with senior officials of the Food and Drug Regulatory Administration in Gandhinagar on Thursday.

Officials briefed him on surprise inspections carried out at 187 restaurants across the state.

Of the establishments inspected, 137 had serious cleanliness and hygiene deficiencies and were ordered to shut immediately in the interest of public health.

Authorities sealed six other restaurants for violations—two by the Rajkot Municipal Corporation, one in Rajkot district and three in Nadiad district.

Authorities also issued improvement notices to 40 restaurants, directing them to rectify deficiencies, while suspending the licences of four restaurants with immediate effect.

In Surat, the municipal corporation conducted a separate intensive inspection drive through joint teams of Food Safety Officers and sanitation staff across all zones.

The teams inspected 209 hotels and restaurants and 34 dhabas. The inspections covered kitchen cleanliness, stale food, medical fitness certificates and the display of information relating to dairy products.

Officials destroyed 548 kg of food deemed unfit for consumption and issued notices to 128 hotels and restaurants.

Administrative fines totalling Rs 4,43,800 were collected, while 43 hotels and restaurants with serious cleanliness and other deficiencies were shut down immediately.

The statewide action follows the death of a five-year-old girl in Surat’s Varachha area after she and four family members fell ill following a meal ordered from a restaurant.

The incident occurred after the family ordered food from Sheetal Restaurant on the evening of August 15.

The following morning, all five members developed symptoms consistent with suspected food poisoning, including vomiting, according to the Surat Medical Health Officer.

The girl later lost consciousness and was taken to Sadvichar Hospital, where doctors declared her dead. Her father was subsequently discharged, while her mother and two other children remained under treatment, according to officials.

The Surat Municipal Corporation sealed the restaurant after finding lapses in cleanliness and hygiene and collected samples of ready-to-eat food and raw materials for testing.

The death prompted Pansheriya to direct authorities to conduct intensive checks of restaurants across Gujarat, focusing on food quality, cleanliness and hygiene standards.

The Food and Drug Regulatory Administration said it would continue strict legal action against establishments and individuals found compromising public health, engaging in food adulteration, or violating food-safety regulations.

–IANS

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