The Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration (UP FSDA) suspended the licences of 73 food establishments on Thursday for violations including poor hygiene and sanitation, expired food products and inadequate pest control, officials said.
Inspections found expired food products, evidence of rats and cockroaches, dirty kitchens and storage areas, inadequate pest control measures, and poor drainage and sanitation. Establishments with correctable deficiencies were issued improvement notices, while those where serious food safety risks were found faced licence suspension and stoppage of operations. They were required to submit photographs, videos and relevant documents as evidence of compliance.
The action followed inspections of 253 food establishments since the launch of the ‘Shuddh Hi Shubh Hai’ campaign on September 17, according to officials. The department has issued 152 improvement notices and suspended 73 licences of establishments that failed to comply with its directives. It has also restored 56 licences after verifying corrective measures.
Inspectors also found shortcomings in food handlers’ personal hygiene, improper storage and handling of food products and, in some cases, the absence of mandatory food-safety records, the department said. The FSDA said suspended establishments could seek restoration after rectifying deficiencies related to kitchen hygiene, food storage, pest control, sanitation and food handling.
