No food safety inspection in Old city as consumers complain of unhygienic standards

Hyderabad: Food outlets and eateries have been rapidly growing in the city specially the Southern part, but is the food you eat outside checked? There are no food safety inspections being taken by the food safety officers of GHMC (Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation) to check and monitor the functioning of eateries. It has been observed that most of the hoteliers, restaurants and other eateries are not adhering to the prescribed rules and regulations and are not maintaining hygienic standards at the premises. The health-conscious consumers have resorted to lodge complaints against hotels, particularly small hotels and fast food centres who's surrounding is completely unhygienic and are serving stale food.

Though it is prohibited to cook food on roadside, the hotel and restaurants continue to flout rules and prepare food outside the premises without maintaining any hygiene. Mohammed Ahmed, TDP Vice president Minority cell said that the hotels are mushrooming in the city and are not following the rules and regulations. "With no inspection and functioning of these eateries by the food inspection officers, they are not maintaining hygiene and not serving low quality food prepared in adulterated items," he added.

He said that the GHMC who rolls out the 'Food Safety on Wheels', the mobile food testing laboratory of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), has not reached to the several circles of the city and there was no inspection held in any eateries located in the Old city areas. "No inspections were carried out by the food officers in the Old City for months. As a part of a special drive, once in a blue moon they hold inspection on the eateries and fine them a minimal amount. But not only imposing a fine on them, stringent action should also be taken," added Ahmed.

Narrating his experience, Majid Ali said that he along with his friends gathered to have biryani in a hotel in Nampally, and they found an unusual smell from the curd and curry they provided with biryani. "We called the waiter and complained regarding the smell and the owner re-served the entire order," he added. He said that they provided stale curries with biryani."

The consumers also complained that eateries are not providing clean utensils to serve food. A customer, Sridhar Goud at Fast food centre in Old city said that the plates and spoons they provide to customers are also not cleaned properly and they serve in unhygienic utensils. "Such cases were observed in various hotels and after a complaint, they changed and provided clean plates to serve food. Such unhygienic standards are due to no inspections held by the concerned authorities," he added.

According to the GHMC officials, the food inspectors under the supervision of health officials inspect hotels to check whether they are maintaining hygienic and clean standards. The non-compliance was exposed in the raids on hotels and fines up to Rs 25,000 for not maintaining hygiene in the kitchen and premises.

Officials of the Health wing said that they would be conducting more random inspections and would check whether the eateries are following hygienic standards and keep a check on the quality of food being served. "We have been receiving complaints from the public that a few hotels were serving stale food which was being kept in refrigerators for days," said an official.