The state health department has rolled out an initiative in Durgapur to ensure on-spot examination of food served by restaurants and haul up those operating without licence and violating Covid protocols.

Sources said the move comes after chief minister Mamata Banerjee instructed all districts and civic bodies to intensify vigilance on the quality of food in restaurants.

Announcing the project —Food Safety on Wheels —earlier this week in Durgapur, a state health department official said the government had allotted to West Burdwan district a special vehicle that would have an inbuilt food testing laboratory. Officials said the vehicle would reach Durgapur in a fortnight, while other districts would get them in a phased manner.

“"Earlier, we had to send food samples to Calcutta for quality tests but now with the special vehicle we will be able to carry out on-spot examination of food samples. This will help us take faster action against the eateries found guilty. It will also create awareness among restaurant owners,” said Abhijit Shevale, additional district magistrate.

West Burdwan officials said they had been getting a number of complaints regarding stale food and violation of Covid protocols by restaurants and food stalls.

Food safety commissioner Tapan Kanti Rudra recently held a review meeting with district officials in Asansol on Thursday. Sources said he had asked them to focus more on food stalls serving food through food delivery apps.

The Telegraph visited some food stalls in Durgapur town and found many irregularities.

A food joint near City Centre with a valid licence was found operating out of a shanty. The visit to the eatery, which is popular on online food delivery apps, showed that food had been kept in the open and the chef was not wearing a mask or gloves that had been made mandatory in view of the pandemic. Water used for cooking was also kept in an open drum.

Another stall near Durgapur’s Steel Park is on a drain.

Vishnu Khaitan, a factory owner in Durgapur who frequently orders food through online apps, was surprised when he saw one of his favourite restaurants was located on a drain. “Food delivery platforms should run a check before enlisting such restaurants,” said Khaitan.

An official of a food delivery platform popular in Durgapur said the only criterion to enlist any restaurant in its app was food licence. “We do not monitor whether restaurants are maintaining proper hygiene or how they procure licences. That job lies with the government’s food safety department,” he said.

A food safety official said to get a food licence one had to furnish a trade permit, examination report of the water used by the restaurant, and income tax return certificate. Covid vaccine certificates of owners and staff are also required.

On how eateries with poor hygiene levels had been given licences, the official said: “Our officers visit restaurants and examine food safety measures before issuing them a license. We will definitely carry out a check.”

Foodies in Durgapur hoped that the introduction of the vehicle fitted with a food sample testing lab would help improve the quality of food and the way it was being prepared.