Municipality Fines Hotels for Unsanitary Conditions and Illegal Operations in Pathanamthitta
Pathanamthitta: The municipal health department has initiated strict action against hotels operated by migrant workers, imposing fines for their operation under unsanitary conditions and without proper licenses. The hotels, situated in a building housing workers along the roadside leading to the Pandalam Kadakkad Family Health Centre, have each been issued a notice to pay a fine of Rs 10,000. These establishments had previously been shut down by health and food safety authorities but were found to be secretly resuming operations in the evenings, evading official oversight. The businesses in the Thonalloor Sabu Building were run by Tajmira Khatun, S.K. Sukumar, and Deluvar Hussain, all hailing from Bengal.
During an unannounced inspection by municipal officials, a shocking discovery was made: chicken was being washed using a sieve inside a European toilet located in the restroom. The cooking activities were observed taking place behind a grimy curtain, and both the kitchen and the designated food serving areas were found to be in highly unsanitary states. Authorities reported a pervasive and strong foul odor immediately upon entering the hotel premises, underscoring the severity of the hygiene issues. Numerous food items, including quantities of stale chicken, were seized during the raid.
Beyond the egregious hygiene violations, the health department also raised serious concerns regarding the safety of the building itself. The verandas, rooms, surrounding premises, and restrooms were all found to be contaminated. Waste and sewage from the building were being indiscriminately dumped at the rear, flowing through a narrow canal that ultimately discharged into a nearby paddy field. Furthermore, a substantial number of commercial gas cylinders, approximately ten, were stored on the premises without any safety precautions, posing an extreme fire hazard. Officials highlighted the critical danger, stating that rescue operations would be virtually impossible in the event of a fire in this building, which also houses small children and women. In response to these grave findings, cases have also been registered against the building owners.
The enforcement drive was a joint effort, spearheaded by Municipal Health Supervisor S.L. Son Sundar, Public Health Inspectors Sujitha S. Pillai, and Amal P. Nair. They were supported by a police team led by Sub-Inspector R. Manoj Kumar. Medical Officer Dr. R. Harikumar and Health Inspector Rasiya Beegam were also integral members of the inspection team.