Secunderabad’s Alpha Hotel to be booked for obstructing food safety officials

The task force of Telangana’s Commissioner of Food Safety announced that legal action would be taken against Alpha Hotel in Secunderabad for obstructing food safety officials during an inspection.

“The Food Business Operator (FBO) hindered the officials during the inspection and refused to sign the inspection report at the end,” said a statement by the task force.

The statement further said that according to Clause 62 of the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, a case will be booked against the FBO, with potential penalties including up to three months of imprisonment and a fine of up to ₹1 lakh.

On June 18, task force officials conducted inspections at several popular restaurants in the Secunderabad area, revealing numerous hygiene violations. At Alpha Hotel, inspectors discovered improperly stored raw meat and semi-prepared food in the refrigerator, posing a cross-contamination risk. They also noted unsanitary conditions such as open dustbins and ceiling plaster flakes. Additionally, Alpha brand ice cream and bread lacked manufacturing dates and batch numbers, while Dust Tea powder packets were also missing batch numbers. The kitchen lacked proper insect-proof screens.

In September 2023, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) temporarily shut down Alpha Hotel for hygiene violations. The GHMC’s food safety wing observed that the hotel management had failed to implement corrective measures and thus ordered the establishment’s temporary closure.

The other inspections conducted on June 18 were at Raj Bar and Restaurant and Hotel Sandarshini.

At Raj Bar and Restaurant, the teams found that the displayed FSSAI licence had expired in June 2018, and no valid FSSAI licence was available. A rat was observed near the dustbin area, with no rat traps arranged. Synthetic food colours found in the kitchen were discarded on the spot. Dustbins were open without proper lids, and food handlers were not wearing hair caps and aprons. Additionally, there were no medical fitness certificates for food handlers or pest control records. Improper storage of semi-prepared food articles was noted, and the premises lacked insect-proof screens. The kitchen floor and ceiling were found with patches and dust.

At Hotel Sandarshini, the teams found improperly labelled jaggery cubes and paratha packets, as well as expired noodle packets, which were seized. Food articles stored inside the refrigerator were covered but not labelled properly. Although the FSSAI licence copy was displayed at the entrance, and medical fitness certificates and pest control records were available, the kitchen premises were not fitted with insect-proof screens. Food handlers were found wearing aprons and hair caps.