Hostels in a pickle as food teams uncover kitchen safety violations

Hyderabad: The Telangana State Food Safety Task Force teams along with other department officers issued notices to 30 hostels and seized five hostel kitchens for food safety violations. The Task force also fined Rs 2.45 lakh for not following the guidelines.

On Friday, the teams inspected over 58 hostels in Ashok Nagar, Dilsukhnagar, Ameerpet areas. “As many as five hostel kitchens were seized and notices were issued to 30 hostels, as per the provisions of GHMC Act, 1955,” said a food safety officer.

During the raid, it was found that many private hostels are running in violation of the rules of food safety, town planning, sanitation, fire prevention etc.

The management of the hostels were misusing the cellars and parking spaces for commercial activities, putting up large advertisements that breach established rules and regulations. They are providing subpar food that is prepared in unsanitary conditions, cramming students into small rooms, and failing to meet their basic needs, such as providing adequate toilet facilities. Additionally, they are irresponsibly dumping waste onto the streets.

Even after a comprehensive awareness campaign directed at administrators and building owners, some management teams continue to neglect their responsibilities, resulting in unhygienic conditions that pose a significant health risk to the public.

To address these violations, a Special Task Force Squad has been established in collaboration with GHMC officials to carry out surprise inspections on hostels that are operating unlawfully throughout the GHMC areas, including Ameerpet, Khairatabad Zone, Ashok Nagar, Dilsukhnagar, and LB Nagar. During the inspections, the violations observed were – walls and ceilings found to be unclean, exhaust found to be greasy and dirty, dustbins kept in open condition, housefly infestation, unauthorised use of premises with use of cellars and parking area as kitchens, food handlers not maintaining personal hygiene like no use of hairnets, gloves etc., flooring found to be patchy with stagnation of water and food waste, cooking and cleaning areas being very close, some of the establishments operating without FSSAI and trade licenses and toilets found to be opening directly into the kitchens in some of the establishments.