Hyderabad: From rats and bandicoots to unhygienic toilets and bad ventilation, SCB officials have found not only small outlets, but even famous restaurants violating hygiene norms and its Health and Sanitation Act. The managements of these outlets had hired labourers who live, eat and sleep in the kitchens.
A kitchen should have maximum ventilation, cemented or tiled floors and food material needs to be stored in racks in a separate area. Officials say most of these rules are ignored. Since Diwali is just a few days away, many outlets have hired more staff to meet the demand but have compromised on hygiene. SCB food safety inspector M. Devender said, “The kitchen of a hotel, sweet house or a confectionary outlet should have the maximum ventilation. There should be no toilet within the kitchen. The kitchen floor, walls should be regularly cleaned. Stale or leftover food should be disposed of the same day, and no meat should be stored and used for the next day.”
He said no one should live in the cooking area. Pest control should be done on a regular basis. In case hotels fail to comply with these norms, the establishment will be sealed, he said. They would be allowed to open only if they met all the requirements, he said. The second most important norm is that the SCB should approve the trade licence.
SCB team seals Grill 9 Hotel:
After Agra Sweets, Delhi 9 and Bangalore Iyenger Bakery, the Secunderabad Canton-ment Board authorities carried out surprise checks at Grill 9 Hotel & Bakery at Trimulgherry and sealed it citing unhygienic conditions in the kitchen area. This is the fourth hotel sealed in a row by the SCB as part of its special drive.
Mr M. Devender, SCB food safety officer, said, “During the drive at Grill 9, it was found that the kitchen, toilets and the dining area of the hotel were being badly maintained. Secondly, the owner was using the parking area, which is government land, for storing hotel equipment.” He said another reason to seal the hotel was that it was running without a trade licence from the SCB. “A rectification notice has been handed over to the hotel, unless the management complies with all the hygiene requirements, it will remain sealed,” he said. SCB chief executive officer Ms Sujatha Gupta said the drive would continue till all the food outlets complied with the health and sanitation norms prescribed in the SCB Act.
