Only five eateries fined over food safety violations in Ludhiana this year so far
Health officials have been directed to conduct checks at eateries across the state in view of the Patiala girl’s death
While health officials in the district have swung into action after a 10-year-old girl died, allegedly, after eating a contaminated birthday cake, only five challans have been issued over food safety violations in the city so far this year, the state’s biggest urban centre with eateries and food joints at every other corner.
On 24 March, the Patiala girl, Manvi, reportedly died after celebrating her birthday. The cake samples from the bakery were sent for examination and a report was still awaited.
Following this, the state health department asked health officials across the state to conduct drives and gather samples. The officials here also conducted drives on Monday and Tuesday, collecting six samples, the reports for which, district health officer Dr Ripudaman Kaur said would come back in a fortnight.
She said the department was conducting regular drives and the case in Patiala has only put more emphasis on them.
Kaur, when asked how many cases under the Food Safety Act were pending with the district office, said, “There was no data on this readily available. We have a reformative approach. We try to make those in the business aware of the problems and suggest ways to meet safety standards.”
She disclosed that only the department has issued only five challans in the city this year, noting that the department was short-staffed.
{{/usCountry}}She disclosed that only the department has issued only five challans in the city this year, noting that the department was short-staffed.
{{/usCountry}}According to the information, the Patiala girl’s family had ordered the cake from a food delivery app on her birthday, March 24. And by the night Manvi, her younger sister and other family members fell sick, with the 10-year-old vomiting profusely.
When she did not wake up from her sleep the next morning, she was rushed to the hospital and pronounced dead on arrival.
