Mumbai: FDA Shuts Down Chinese Eatery In Lower Parel

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has ordered Merak, a renowned Chinese restaurant in Lower Parel, to cease all operations following compliance issues. It is an ongoing drive and Merak is the 16th establishment ordered to be shut down as it failed to comply with food safety regulations.

2 months given to comply

It has been given two months to ensure that it complies with the regulations, following which it can restart operations, said Shailesh Adhao, joint commissioner, FDA. Most of the establishments do not meet the basic requirements for applying for a Food Safety and Standards Authority of India licence, which is mandatory for all food businesses in India, according to Adhao.

The challenge to ensure that all establishments meet the norms remains significant with only 13 FSOs overseeing a staggering 18,481 registered eateries in the city, he said.

Average of 5 eateries being checked each day

"We shall continue our efforts in this regard. Our officials are examining an average of five eateries per day," Adhao said. The officials have inspected 152 eateries across Mumbai in two months, of which 137 need to improve their hygiene standards, Adhao said. The 16 establishments that have till now been asked to cease operations were found to be operating in unhygienic conditions, or running without licences.

"We have collected fines totalling Rs1,70,000 from the eateries. During the special inspection drive conducted on October 6 we noticed that high-end restaurants or hotels have been flouting basic norms and have dirty kitchens, stale food, dustbins without lids. Moreover, their employees do not have fitness certificates and were also found working without gloves and caps, which clearly shows that food business operators were flouting norms without any fear," Adhao said.