HC questions FDA’s clean and hygiene certificate to Mantralaya canteen; asks it to be impartial

HC questions FDA’s clean and hygiene certificate to Mantralaya canteen; asks it to be impartial

Mumbai, The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration needs to be "fair, impartial and uniform" in its drive concerning hotels and eateries, including those run by government and semi-government establishments, the Bombay High Court said on Friday.

HC questions FDA’s clean and hygiene certificate to Mantralaya canteen; asks it to be impartial

The HC made the remark while questioning the authority's "98 per cent clean" certificate to the Mantralaya canteen.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad ordered a team of four lawyers to immediately visit and inspect the Mantralaya canteen and inform the court in the afternoon about the situation there.

The FDA submitted to the court a chart detailing all eateries and canteens, including the three on the high court premises and at Mantralaya, as well as private clubs across the city.

As per the chart, the Mantralaya canteen received 98 per cent cleanliness marks.

The court raised doubts over this and asked the FDA to submit the inspection photographs and videography.

"Show us the pictures and videos of Mantralaya canteen when the inspection was carried out. As per FDA, the canteen is spic and span. You have submitted photos of the inspection carried out at the Poornima restaurant. Be uniform and fair to all. You cannot target only private properties," HC said.

The bench then directed a panel of four lawyers to immediately visit the Mantralaya canteen.

The court said that while it appreciated the work being done by the FDA, the agency also needed to remain impartial.

"We appreciate the department with the work they are doing but we only want them to be equal to all. They should not be lopsided towards anyone. They need to be impartial and fair," HC said.

The bench said it would hear the matters again Friday afternoon.

The court also sought to know from the FDA the circumstances and parameters on the basis of which some eateries were issued improvement notices, while others were directly served with suspension notices.

"In some cases, the FDA has issued an improvement notice but in few other cases the authority has bypassed this and sent a suspension notice directly," the court said.

Senior counsel Venkatesh Dhond, appearing for the Poornima restaurant, said the FDA issued a suspension notice without following the due process of law.

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