Cockroaches at Karnataka Vidhana Soudha canteen, expired food found

The Karnataka Health Department has expanded its statewide food safety crackdown, conducting inspections at government canteens, five-star facilities, and food delivery warehouses across Bengaluru. Raids at the Vidhana Soudha and Vikas Soudha premises revealed cockroach infestations on eating plates and kitchen areas, alongside a lack of pest control measures at the Mallige Hotel used by legislators. Inspections at Arogya Soudha, the health department headquarters, uncovered expired food products, including idli rava and coconut powder, stored under unhygienic conditions. Additionally, officials inspected Indira canteens and sealed a Zepto warehouse in Gottigere over unhygienic handling, misbranding, and labelling violations. Warehouses of food delivery platforms, including Zomato, were also inspected. Speaking on the ongoing drive, Health Minister U.T. Khader stated that inspections will extend to paying guest accommodations, hostels, and public canteens to raise food safety awareness and enforce hygiene standards across Karnataka.