The Cuttack Municipal Corporation destroyed around one quintal of gupchup and other food materials during an inspection of manufacturing units in Bidanasi on Friday, citing unhygienic preparation conditions and food safety violations ahead of the Bali Yatra festival.
CMC health officer Nrupendra Satpathy said the civic body inspected 20 gupchup vendors in the area and found that only five held the required licences. Notices were issued to the 15 unlicensed vendors, warning them against continuing business without obtaining mandatory permission from the municipal corporation.
The enforcement team examined the ingredients and preparation practices used by the vendors, including water, potatoes, spices, chutneys and other accompaniments. Officials also checked the personal hygiene of vendors, cleanliness of utensils, availability of safe drinking water and sanitary conditions at the vending premises.
Cooking oil and other materials considered unsuitable were destroyed along with the gupchup. The action was based on the civic body’s assessment that the food was prepared in unhygienic conditions and could pose potential health hazards to consumers.
“Out of 20 vendors inspected in Bidanasi, only five had licences. Around one quintal of gupchup, besides cooking oil and other materials, was destroyed as they were found in unhygienic conditions and posed potential health hazards,” Satpathy said.
The drive comes before Bali Yatra, scheduled to begin on November 24. The eight-day festival is expected to attract lakhs of visitors to Cuttack, where street food is a major part of the fair’s visitor experience. The municipal corporation has said that the increased footfall makes checks on food preparation, water quality and vending conditions a priority.
The licensing action also highlights the civic administration’s focus on bringing temporary and informal food businesses within the city’s regulatory system. Vendors operating without licences have been warned that they cannot continue their businesses without meeting licensing and food safety requirements.
Satpathy said the municipal corporation would intensify the enforcement drive before the festival. The inspection campaign will continue at other locations in Cuttack, with the civic body’s stated objective of preventing food contamination and possible food-borne illnesses during Bali Yatra.
