Officials from the Food Safety Department have served notices to 22 restaurants and hotels for not maintaining hygiene and not implementing COVID-19 safety protocol properly, in the city.
The teams have conducted inspections of several food zones since October 16 to check how far the managements are following safety precautions in the pandemic.
According to GVMC Food Safety Officer G.V. Appa Rao, restaurants were issued a strict Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to be followed for collective good in the wake of COVID-19. The restaurants were instructed to get their staff tested and obtain a physical fitness certificate. The staff should wear masks, gloves, head-caps and aprons while on duty, and tables should be sanitised at regular intervals. The restaurants were instructed to also observe distancing while seating customers, and to avoid overcrowding.
“Apart from these, the restaurants should check the temperatures of each guest and provide hand sanitizers. They should also maintain a register and note the details of customers. However, a number of rules are not being followed at many restaurants,” he said.
Mr. Appa Rao said that the sanitary conditions in kitchens at almost 60% of restaurants that they inspected was poor. Maintenance of drains and pest control is also bad, he said.
“Some restaurants like the one which we raided on Thursday, were ready to serve stale meat. When we enquired about it, the management said that they were yet to dispose it of,” he said.
After serving notices, we have asked the restaurants to rectify and respond within two weeks. Food samples from some hotels were sent to laboratories. After reports, we will take action as per law, he said.
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