Report

The health wing of the Kochi Corporation sealed a canteen near Kadavanthra on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, after uncovering large quantities of stale food and extremely unhygienic kitchen conditions. The canteen, located in the Elamkulam division, had repeatedly ignored public complaints and continued to operate without the mandatory Corporation licence. Despite receiving multiple notices, it defied food safety and sanitation norms and reportedly supplied meals to train, including the Vande Bharat Express.

Public Complaints Trigger Action

Residents of a nearby colony complained on Tuesday night, reporting foul odours coming from the canteen’s godown and the workers’ quarters in the area. Responding to the complaint, health officials raided the premises the next day. “We discovered nearly 50 kg of stale chicken, which looked several months old, stored in the godown,” said Antony Painumthara, councillor of the Elamkulam division. “The canteen staff sprayed disinfectant on the spoiled meat and quickly removed it. I had already urged the health inspector to take immediate action, which prompted the raid.”

Serious Violations Found

During the raid, officials found printed food containers that indicated the canteen supplied food to the train. Senior public health inspector V.V. Suresh confirmed that the team had sealed the facility. “The canteen must obtain a valid licence, set up a proper wastewater treatment system, and submit a new application to the Corporation secretary before it can resume operations,” he said.

No authorised representative from the canteen was present during the raid to accept the mahazar or other official documents. Earlier, the Corporation had fined the canteen ₹10,000 for dumping untreated wastewater and food waste into a canal connected to the Punchathodu stream. Despite repeated warnings, the canteen failed to install a wastewater treatment system or stop polluting the area.

Source: The Hindu