Secunderabad Cantonment Board has intensified inspections at hotels, tiffin centres and other eateries after customers reportedly fell ill following a meal at Saptami Grand restaurant in New Bowenpally, bringing renewed scrutiny to food hygiene across the Cantonment area.
SCB health and sanitation officials issued a notice to Saptami Grand after the suspected food-poisoning incident. Officials have since been checking food quality, cleanliness and the conditions in which food is prepared, stored and served at establishments in the Cantonment.
The inspections have included hotels, tiffin centres and other food outlets. A recent inspection at a tiffin centre in Balanagar covered idlis and other food items, according to the report. The checks are aimed at identifying hygiene deficiencies and possible risks in food handling.
An SCB official told Deccan Chronicle that officials had observed poor hygiene at some hotels and said there was an immediate need for more consistent inspections. The official said food contamination and improper handling could cause illnesses, making regular checks particularly important at establishments serving large numbers of customers.
The action places the Cantonment’s food establishments under closer attention following the reported illness linked to the New Bowenpally restaurant. The information supplied does not establish the exact cause of the customers’ illness or indicate whether laboratory testing confirmed food contamination at the restaurant.
Food safety enforcement in the Cantonment involves routine checks of premises as well as examination of food preparation, storage and serving conditions. The latest inspections indicate that the SCB is extending scrutiny beyond the restaurant named in the incident to other eateries operating in the area.
The board’s inspections are continuing across hotels, tiffin centres and other food establishments in the Cantonment. Further action will depend on the findings of the checks and the response to the notice issued to Saptami Grand.
