Hatton Court Orders Destruction of 1,740kg of Unfit Dhal Seized in Kotagala

The Hatton Magistrate’s Court has ordered the destruction of 1,740 kilograms of dhal that was found to be unfit for human consumption during a food safety inspection carried out in Kotagala.

The stock of insect-infested dhal was seized by Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) attached to the Kotagala Medical Officer of Health (MOH) office during an inspection of a wholesale store in Kotagala.

The seized consignment was produced before the Hatton District Judge and Magistrate on July 9, who ordered the Public Health Inspectors to destroy the stock by pouring kerosene over it to ensure it could not be consumed.

The owner of the consignment admitted the offence before the court and was fined Rs. 2,000 by the Magistrate.

Following the court order, the stock was transported to the Talawakelle-Lindula Urban Council’s waste recycling centre, where Public Health Inspectors supervised and carried out its destruction.

Health officials estimated the market value of the seized dhal at approximately Rs. 522,000.

According to the Kotagala MOH office, the insect-infested stock was discovered during a recent inspection after it was found concealed inside a warehouse in Kotagala.

Health authorities continue to conduct inspections across the country to ensure food sold to consumers meets safety standards and to prevent the distribution of contaminated or expired food products.

Read more articles like this on www.srilankanpost.com