Hyderabad: Unhygienic food, Supermarkets, eateries in city under GHMC lens

Hyderabad : Following various complaints from a consumer on supermarkets, bakery and hotels selling food that was unfit for human consumption, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) food safety officials intensified inspection at the prominent outlet. Some samples were also collected and sent to the laboratory for testing. If the outlets are violating the prescribed norms, GHMC will take stringent action.

In recent days, there were several complaints regarding the packed food being sold as stale, expired. On Friday, a branch of Reliance Retail in Hyderabad came under the scrutiny of the GHMC.

The inspection at the Reliance Retail branch located in Patancheru was carried out by Bhanu Teja Goud, the Food Safety Officer (FSO) of GHMC. Subsequently, samples were collected from the branch for analysis.

GHMC has conducted inspections at various outlets in Hyderabad including Vijaya Milk Parlour, Karachi Bakery, Alpha Bakery and others.

Recently, at Karachi Bakery situated in Banjara Hills, Road No 1, B Srivenaka, FSO of the Khairtabad circle of GHMC, conducted an inspection in response to a complaint. During the inspection, suspected samples were collected for analysis, and later, the inspection report was submitted for further action.

Following the complaint, Alpha Hotel in Secunderabad serving stale food in unhygienic conditions, the GHMC Food Safety Wing inspected the premises and found several hygiene violations. Another inspection was at an Osmania Biscuits manufacturing store and seized stock worth Rs 36,000 after a customer found a fly baked in one of the biscuits.

Narasimha, Senior Food Inspector, GHMC said that we have over 20 food inspectors in GHMC and we react to complaints forwarded by the civic agency. There is a toll-free number 040-21111111 and anybody who wants to raise a complaint can call this number and the grievance will be taken up by the concerned wing.

He said that the officers would check the quality of food, water, hygiene condition, kitchen, drainage, licences, medical fitness certificate of the servers and others. Food samples will be categorised as unsafe, substandard, and misbranded. If the food sample is unsafe, criminal cases will be booked and the establishment owners will be sent to jail. For substandard and misbranded food, a fine of up to Rs 5 lakh will be imposed.