The Sanitation & Health Enforcement (SHE) teams of the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) have intensified inspections across the city.

Between August 14 and 21, the teams conducted 98 inspections and detected 35 food safety violations and 33 violations of the ban on single-use plastic (SUP). Notices were issued to 18 business establishments, while fines totalling ₹77,500 were imposed for various violations, GVMC Commissioner Ketan Garg said.

He said the SHE teams had been inspecting hotels, restaurants, food joints, bakeries, street food outlets and small food vendors over the past week, with a focus on food quality, raw material standards, kitchen hygiene and enforcement of the SUP ban.

At present, 20 SHE teams are operating across 10 zones, with two teams deployed in each zone. Each team comprises a Sanitary Supervisor, Sanitary Inspector, Sanitary Secretary and Food Inspector. Each team has been tasked with inspecting at least two food establishments a day, ensuring that a minimum of four establishments are inspected daily in each zone.

“Although SHE teams have been conducting inspections since last year and creating awareness about food quality and hygiene, the expected improvement has not been observed in some business establishments,” Mr. Garg said.

He said the GVMC was taking serious note of establishments that disregarded quality and hygiene standards and thereby posed a risk to public health.

Published - August 22, 2026 06:06 pm IST