LEH: A joint inspection team led by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Durbuk, on Thursday imposed penalties on hotels and restaurants during an enforcement drive across the Pangong tourist belt, acting against violations of the ban on single-use plastics and food safety norms while confiscating expired dairy products unfit for consumption.
The inspection covered hotels, restaurants and cafeterias at Lukung, Spangmik and the Shooting Point area, where officials examined commercial establishments for compliance with environmental regulations and consumer safety standards.
The team, comprising officials from the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) Department and personnel from the local Police, inspected food items, verified product expiry dates and checked for the use of banned single-use plastic (SUP) items.
During the drive, authorities recovered Rs 2,500 in fines from two hotel and restaurant owners found violating prescribed regulations.
In a separate action, restaurants found in possession and use of banned single-use plastic items were penalised Rs 6,000, as part of the administration’s enforcement of the plastic ban in the ecologically sensitive Pangong region.
The inspection team also seized and destroyed 10 litres of expired milk on the spot after determining that the product posed a potential risk to public health.
Officials said the inspection was part of a sustained enforcement campaign aimed at ensuring adherence to food safety regulations, consumer protection measures and environmental norms in one of Ladakh’s most visited tourist destinations. They added that such drives would continue to promote regulatory compliance among commercial establishments and safeguard the interests of both residents and visitors.
