In Hyderabad, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) task force conducted surprise inspections at hostels in the Musheerabad area. This task force, organized by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), found several violations of food safety rules and issued warnings to all six hostels they visited.
On a Thursday, N Surya, the Food Safety Designated Officer from GHMC, and his team carried out these surprise checks using the Food Safety on Wheels initiative. They focused on the Ashoknagar and RTC Crossroad areas, with Food Safety Officers from Circle No 13 and 15 leading the inspections.
The team visited several hostels, including Venkateshwara Executive PG Hostel for Women and Girls, Grace Deluxe Boys Hostel, Abhishrey Boys Hostel, Ashritha Women’s Hostel, Shradha’s Extended Stay, and Balaji Darshan.
At Venkateshwara Executive PG Hostel, inspectors found the kitchen to be unclean and unhygienic, with dirty floors and walls. Rotten vegetables and open containers of raw materials were also discovered. They found worm-infested flour and expired spices like Badshah garam masala. The kitchen was also noted for being cramped.
Grace Deluxe Boys Hostel operated without a valid FSSAI license and lacked proper kitchen ventilation. Inspectors noted the mixing of non-vegetarian and vegetarian raw materials in a single refrigerator and overall unhygienic conditions, including an uncovered dustbin.
In Abhishrey Boys Hostel, the cleaning area had stagnant water and uncovered dustbins. The dining area was dusty and had cobwebs. The floor was damaged and infested with rats, and the water filter was contaminated with worms and insects.
Ashritha Women’s Hostel was operating with an expired food license. Inspectors found rotten tomatoes in the food, and the hostel failed a spot test. Shradha’s Extended Stay was in a similarly poor state with a damaged sink, unhygienic refrigerator, and the use of food colors in cooking. They also found five expired food items.
Balaji Darshan, serving food to Padmavathi PG Premium Hostel and Balaji Boys Hostel, was also unhygienic. The FSSAI registration was not displayed, and the establishment was operating under the wrong category. The kitchen lacked proper ventilation and lighting, and rotten vegetables were found. Food handlers did not wear aprons or hairnets, and the hostel failed spot tests. Cooked food was stored without lids, and there was a lack of proper labeling on food items.
