FDA shuts CCD, five other restaurants

The FDA launched the drive against restaurants in August after bank executive Anurag Singh filed a police complaint after finding a rat in his dish at Papa Pancho Da Dhaba at Bandra West

MUMBAI: As the state’s Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) continues to crack its whip on Mumbai eateries flouting food safety parameters, the regulatory body on Tuesday revealed the names of six more restaurants that were handed stop work notices. The restaurants are Cafe Coffee Day (CCD) in Vile Parle (W), Tasty Parota Corner at Dharavi, Madina Sharif Hotel at Mohammed Ali Road, Mumbai Bites in Ghatkopar East, Circle Kitchen in Malad West and Rajlaxmi Restaurant in Kanjurmarg West.

While FDA continues its drive, it has granted permission to Bademiya in Colaba and Mumbai Darbar in Mahim to reopen after the eateries submitted compliance documents and proof and their premises were re-inspected. The city has 18,481 registered eateries while FDA has only 13 food safety officers against its requirement of 49 (HT PHOTO)

HT on October 16 reported that nine restaurants in Mumbai, including Cou Cou By Oberoi at BKC, Banana Leaf at Matunga, New York Burrito in Kandivali West and Hotel Highway Inn in Andheri East were forced to shut down following a surprise raid in the first week of October.

The FDA launched the drive against restaurants in August after bank executive Anurag Singh filed a police complaint after finding a rat in his dish at Papa Pancho Da Dhaba at Bandra West. This led to the arrest of the restaurant’s manager and two cooks, and FDA subsequently issuing a stop work notice after it found several regulation lapses.

The FDA has inspected nearly 152 restaurants, closed 15 eateries, issued improvement notices to 137 and collected a fine of ₹1.70 lakh in the last two months. “The aim of our drive is to spread awareness among restaurant owners to maintain food safety norms,” said Shailesh Adhao, FDA Joint Commissioner (Food). “We shut 15 restaurants following multiple violations of food safety norms.”

Meanwhile, hotel associations like the Indian Hotel And Restaurant Association (AHAR) called the regulatory body’s decision to close restaurants found guilty of violation of norms “arbitrary”. “FDA is doing a great job in inspecting the restaurants for hygiene but shutting down businesses is harsh,” said Sudhakar Shetty, general secretary, AHAR. “Earlier, hoteliers used to get the investigation reports and were given a chance to improve conditions and drawbacks. Now they are issuing suspension orders immediately.”

While Shetty agreed that all restaurants, including high-end ones, should maintain kitchen hygiene and food safety norms, he dubbed the closing down of elite eateries as “punishment” and said that smaller restaurants should be similarly treated. “They are punishing branded restaurants but what about streetside vendors and small restaurants that do not have an FSSAI licence?” he demanded. “Their food quality and food safety norms should also be checked.”

AHAR, along with the FDA, has trained 4,000 hotel employees, especially food handlers, on food safety norms since the time FDA started the drive.