Chhapra: The district administration in Chhapra has launched a strict drive against the sale of fake paneer after receiving several complaints from consumers. On the instructions of district magistrate Vaibhav Srivastava, the Food Safety Department carried out surprise raids in different parts of the city on Friday. The aim of the operation was to check the quality of paneer being served in hotels and restaurants and to ensure that people are not being cheated with unsafe food.
During the inspections, food safety officials collected paneer samples from 10 hotels and restaurants located in busy market areas. These included well-known eateries near Ambedkar Chowk, SN Path, Nagar Palika Chowk, Kachari Station and Thana Chowk. Assistant designated officer and food safety officer Narayan Ram said the administration had received information that some establishments were serving artificial or substandard paneer instead of the genuine product. All collected samples have been sent to a laboratory for testing.
The raid also led to immediate action at one shop in the Mauna Chowk area, where around two kilograms of paneer were found to be unfit for consumption and destroyed on the spot. In another case, officials found that a restaurant was operating without a valid food licence. The owner was instructed to obtain the necessary licence without delay, highlighting gaps in compliance with food safety rules.
Officials said that once the laboratory reports are received, strict legal action will be taken against any hotel or restaurant found violating food standards. Cases will be registered under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and related regulations. The action has caused concern among hotel and restaurant owners, but the administration has made it clear that consumer health comes first. Authorities say the drive is an important step towards ensuring that people in Chhapra get safe, pure and trustworthy food.
