Team Herald
CALANGUTE: In a joint effort to combat unauthorised business practices, around 2,000 kilograms of biryani was confiscated, and five premises operating multiple businesses were ordered to shut down in Calangute between Friday and Saturday.
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The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) initiated the crackdown on Friday, raiding six unauthorised biryani vendors following complaints about their operations. The FDA team, comprising Rajaram Patil, Richard Noronha, Sujata Shetgaonkar, and Bhakti Wadke, confiscated the food due to hygiene violations and lack of proper licences.
Richard Noronha, an FDA official, stated, “Today we carried out raids in Calangute and found six vendors who were not having any permission from the FDA and were preparing food in very unhygienic conditions. Some small hotels provided space to these vendors, while others were independent operators. None had permissions from the village panchayat or the FDA and hence we have confiscated the food items.”
He added, “We’ll continue this drive. Since this is the first offence, we’ve only confiscated the food, but next time we will impose heavy fines. We appeal to small hotels not to support such vendors, as it puts the health of tourists and locals at risk. Only those with proper FDA licences should run hotels.”
On Saturday, the Calangute panchayat raided several shops on the beach promenade for conducting multiple businesses without valid licences. According to Sarpanch Joseph Sequeira, these premises were operating under a single licence but carried out additional activities such as running tattoo parlours alongside garment sales.
“Those who want to do business should take proper licences. Today, we shut down five shops carrying out multiple unauthorised businesses,” Sequeira said.
He noted that the crackdown aims to improve tourist experiences. “Recently, our ward member and stakeholders cleaned the beach promenade because the tourism department has been neglecting this area. We want people to walk comfortably to the beach without harassment,” he added.
Sequeira also assured that the panchayat would continue to act against illegalities and unauthorised vendors, particularly at Calangute beach, Baga, and Tito’s Lane.
The FDA has been conducting regular inspections in Calangute. However, stakeholders pointed out that most unauthorised vendors and shops often resume their operations within days of being shut down.
