At a ceremony organized by the Municipality public health department to award certificates to 110 city hotels and restaurants, Special Commissioner Omar Kamil said these unhygienic eating houses would either have to clean up their kitchens or close down.

 He said many hotels were marginal when it came to hygiene and the preparation of food and asked hotel owners to maintain high standards and warned that the CMC would enforce the law strictly especially in the case of garbage disposal.

Mr. Kamil said 350 people caught dumping garbage in unauthorized places had been arrested and were facing legal action.

Health Secretary Dr .Ravi Ruberu said the hygienic level at hotels in Colombo should be in line with international standards. He said prevention of diseases should be given priority.  CMC Chief Medical Officer Dr. Pradeep Kariyawasam said hygine of hotel staff should be monitored as they could be disease carriers.(DM)