Most city hotels found flouting rules

In first-round inspections being carried out in Mumbai since April 2012, Maharashtra FDA has found more than half the 1,060 hotels and food manufacturers flouting Food Safety and Standards Regulations, 2011.

FDA has issued notices to the establishments to comply with norms. Failure to do so will result in suspension/ cancellation of licences, said Suresh Deshmukh, joint commissioner (food), FDA.

"In the first phase that ends in March, we have to inspect 1,320 (establishments), of which we have covered 1,060 across Mumbai. So far, we have found 600 (establishments) are not complying with rules and regulations and we have sent them improvement notices. They have 30 days to comply with the norms. After that, there will be another round of inspections and if we find they are still flouting regulations, they will face suspension or cancellation of licences," he said.

There are 43,000 hotels and food manufacturers in Mumbai licensed by/registered with FDA.

"We have to inspect all under the new rules," said Deshmukh.

Food Safety and Standards Regulations, 2011, finalised by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, came into effect on August 5, 2011.

The regulations look at licensing and registration of food businesses, food product standards and additives, packaging and labelling, contaminants, toxins and residues. Establishments with annual turnovers of Rs 12 lakh or more are being examined in Mumbai.

Officials said FDA was shortstaffed and it had asked the state government to sanction more posts.

"Some 265 posts of food safety officers were sanctioned in 1972. But now, we have to cover thousands of establishments. This is a massive task and we are grossly understaffed. We have submitted our requirements to the state and have asked to sanction 2,000 posts of food safety officers for Maharashtra. In Mumbai, of the 66 sanctioned posts for food safety officers, only 22 have been filled," Deshmukh said.

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