Hyderabad, Nov 9 (IANS) AIMIM President and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday urged Telangana Standards Authority for Food and Essential Drugs (TG SAFE) Commissioner Avinash Mohanty not to suspend the licenses of hotels without giving them time to improve standards of food safety.
Along with a delegation of the Twin Cities Hotel Owners Association, Owaidi met the TG SAFE Commissioner and requested that, before taking strict action of suspending the licenses of hotels, improvement notices be issued to them so that they get time to improve the standards as per the regulations of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
He told the media after the meeting that he requested the Commissioner to first give improvement notices, identify the gaps, and give a week’s time to improve. If they fail to improve, then issue a suspension notice, he said.
Owaisi said the owners of the hotels agreed that there should be proper hygiene at hotels and that customers should get quality food so that they do not fall ill, but want the authorities to give them time to bring about improvements.
He said they explained various instances where there was no need to issue suspension notices. They also explained practical difficulties in following certain regulations.
He said those hotels that have rectification reports should be allowed to reopen their outlets.
However, Mohanty told the MP that a hotel submitted a rectification report, but there was no rectification.
Owaisi asked hotels to come under the banner of the Twin Cities Hotel Owners’ Association and to follow norms and regulations.
The Association requested the adoption of a uniform, transparent and legally prescribed enforcement procedure during TG SAFE inspections, with reference to Section 32 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, Regulation 2.1.8 of the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011, and Schedule 4 – Catering Requirements.
Its representatives told the Commissioner that they fully support the objectives of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and appreciate the efforts of the TG SAFE in protecting public health and ensuring safe food for consumers.
“The hotel owners are committed to maintaining food safety, hygiene, sanitation and statutory compliance in their respective establishments. We continuously work towards implementing Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) and Food Safety Management Systems (FSMS), as prescribed under Schedule 4 of the FSSAI Licensing and Registration Regulations. However, we request that a uniform, transparent and legally prescribed procedure be followed while issuing observations, improvement notices, show-cause notices and orders relating to suspension or cancellation of licences,” reads the representation submitted by the Association.
It listed the measures being taken to comply with essential food safety regulations.
–IANS
ms/vd