HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court has directed food safety authorities to conduct regular inspections of food establishments across the state and take action against violations, stressing that enforcement must be uniform and not restricted to select establishments.
The court directed the commissioner of food safety to instruct all district food safety officers and designated officers to strictly enforce the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the rules and regulations framed under it.
It also ordered authorities to identify food businesses operating without valid licences or registrations and initiate action in accordance with the law.
The directions came during the hearing of a petition filed by a food business operator challenging the suspension of its licence.
The state government informed the court that licences of more than 17 food business operators had already been suspended following inspections and that similar action would be taken against other violators.
The court directed regular inspections of restaurants, hotels, bakeries, sweet shops, meat and fish outlets, supermarkets, street food stalls and other establishments selling food.
Authorities were instructed to collect food samples, take action against adulterated, expired and contaminated products, and establish an effective mechanism to receive and address public complaints about unsafe and unhygienic food.
Observing that food safety involved public health, fundamental rights and statutory responsibility, the court directed the commissioner of food safety to submit a comprehensive compliance report within eight weeks.
It emphasised that enforcement must be continuous, fair, transparent and non-discriminatory, irrespective of the size or location of a food establishment.
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