The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has intensified its food-safety enforcement drive across Mumbai and Maharashtra, with several eateries, canteens and hostel messes facing regulatory action between August 4 and 6. The MMRDA office canteen at Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) was issued a stop-business notice after it was found operating without a food licence. Two hostel messes at the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-B), Powai, were also ordered to stop operations. The messes serving Hostel Nos. 1 and 3 were issued stop-business notices, while the mess serving Hostels 12, 13 and 14 was issued an improvement notice over licensing deficiencies.
In Mumbai, 21 eateries were inspected during the three-day drive. Thirteen improvement notices were issued, while the FSSAI licences of four establishments were suspended following serious hygiene and food-safety violations. All four establishments were temporarily shut. Eat Nino in Dadar was among the establishments whose licence was suspended. Houseflies were reportedly found at the premises, along with poor personal hygiene among food handlers.
At Jai Maa Kali Dhaba in Andheri West, plywood storage racks were found to be in poor condition. Food was stored near toilets, while rusty shelves, unclean kitchen walls and dough exposed to flies were also reported.
The licence of House of Maharashtra in Santacruz West was suspended after cockroach infestation was found in the kitchen and storage room. Inspectors also reported non-food-grade packaging material, the absence of pest-control certification and rusty cooking equipment. South India Dosa Corner in Kurla West had its licence suspended after deficiencies identified in an earlier improvement notice were not rectified. These included poor waste management, the absence of employee medical and vaccination records and inadequate hygiene training. The enforcement drive was also carried out across Maharashtra, where 63 eateries were inspected between August 4 and 6. Thirty-eight improvement notices were issued and the licences of seven food businesses were suspended for violations of provisions under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
Across the state, food products valued at nearly ₹2.82 crore were seized during the drive. The FDA also filed 19 criminal cases for the sale and distribution of banned food products. The enforcement action included the illegal trade of gutkha, pan masala and flavoured tobacco products. A total of 19 cases were registered and 22 people were arrested.
Share
Tweet
