PANJIM: A team of food safety officers from Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) on Saturday carried out inspection of food stalls and hawkers operating near the Super Specialty Block of Goa Medical College (GMC) at Bambolim.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said, during the inspection, several stalls were found to be operational without the necessary permissions for cooking activities from the FDA.
“Immediate action was taken, directing vendors to cease all cooking activities and vacate their temporary kitchens, with equipment removed in the presence of the inspection team. Legal notices were issued under section 31 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 with fines of Rs 10,000,” he said.
”Notably, these same stalls had previously been fined for cooking under unsanitary conditions in November 2023. Vendors were warned that continued violation would result in the suspension of their FDA registration,” Rane added.
”Additionally, concerns regarding the water source used by vendors were addressed, with samples sent to FDA labs for quality testing. Strict vigilance will be maintained over the next seven days, with daily inspections scheduled, and non-compliant units facing closure and legal action. While most food stalls complied with basic hygiene conditions, one vendor received a notice for rectification. The matter will be investigated and taken up seriously under the guidance of the Secretary Health,” Rane said.
