The Food and Drug Administration has suspended the licence of the dining facility at the girls’ hostel of Savitribai Phule Pune University after inspectors found live cockroaches, unhygienic food preparation areas and missing food-safety records. The facility, operated by Maratha Caterers, has been shut following the inspection.
According to the report by Sakal, students had repeatedly complained to the university administration about the quality and safety of meals served at the dining hall. Their complaints included reports of cockroaches and insects in food and breakfast, as well as the presence of objects such as pins and staples. Students also alleged that the food was of poor quality and that the premises where it was prepared were not sufficiently clean.
The students subsequently approached the Food and Drug Administration directly after what the report described as a lack of concrete action from the university administration. FDA officials then inspected dining facilities at the university and took action against the girls’ hostel dining hall and its operator, Maratha Caterers, run by Akash Mohite.
The inspection identified live cockroaches in the food preparation area and surrounding premises. The areas used for cooking and storing food were found to be extremely unhygienic and potentially hazardous to health, according to the findings cited in the report. Officials also recorded serious shortcomings in the cleanliness and personal hygiene of workers handling food.
The facility did not have the required food-safety records and documents available for inspection, the report said. The FDA has suspended the licence associated with the establishment. The action means that the dining service operating in the girls’ hostel has been discontinued following the inspection.
The incident places responsibility on both the food operator and the university’s system for monitoring contracted dining services. While the FDA action addresses violations identified during the inspection, students’ complaints indicate that concerns about food safety had existed before the regulatory intervention. The university administration’s response could not be obtained by Sakal despite attempts to contact its officials.
Abhishek Shelke, president of the University Students’ Struggle Action Committee, welcomed the FDA action and the decision to suspend the dining facility’s licence. He said the university should take permanent measures to ensure safe and nutritious food for students and called for an urgent decision on starting a central dining facility under the university’s control.
The immediate next step is the university’s response to the closure and the arrangement of food services for students living in the girls’ hostel. The report does not specify how long the licence suspension will remain in force or whether the university has appointed an alternative food provider.
