In the latest round of crackdown on eateries with unsatisfactory hygiene levels, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the food licences of quick-commerce platform Blinkit in Akola and two eateries in Mumbai.
As per officials, the licenses were suspended over severe hygiene violations, cockroach infestations, and unsafe storage.
In Akola's Blinkit centre, a re-inspection found that several deficiencies, including poor storage conditions and unsuitable racks, among others, mentioned in an improvement notice had not been rectified. Hence, the licence was taken down.
As per PTI, FDA teams cracked down on Delhi Sweet and Bhelpuri House in the western suburb of Malad, Gulzar Mohammadi Hotel in Kurla, and Blinkit's Akola hub following surprise inspections that uncovered food stored near dirty drains, uncertified food handlers, and failure to rectify compliance notices.
It was also found that one of the eateries in Malad was using unfiltered tap water for cooking and drinking without test reports. The establishment was also producing and repacking items, including lassi, sweets, paneer and farsan, despite holding a licence only for prepared foods.
Additionally, FDA officials seized unlabelled paneer and lassi without expiry dates from the premises, and of 36 food handlers, 26 did not have mandatory medical certificates. Some were found handling food with unbandaged burns and untrimmed nails.
FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said the administration would take stringent legal action against those compromising food quality and public health.
Previously, drug sale licences of Cipla Pharma & Life Sciences Ltd's Carry and Forwarding (C&F) unit in Pune was cancelled following inspections. However, the order was withdrawn after the Bombay High Court pulled up the regulator for going "overboard" and behaving in a "high-handed" manner.
(With agency inputs)
