MARGAO: Fearing action by Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) over hygiene lapses, hotels in Margao have begun voluntarily shutting down operations.
At least 3 major restaurants have reportedly asked their Group D staff to start packing and leave as they are not going to operate after Ganesh Chaturthi.
It may be recalled that several hotels in Margao, Colva and Chinchinim were ordered to shut down following unhygienic conditions at the premises as the FDA found glaring lapses in sewage disposal among other factors.
Fearing the forced closure, several hotels have decided to shut down voluntarily mainly due to the collective mistakes and consequent failures to curb the sewage.
The Food and Drugs Administrator Salim Veljee has lambasted the MMC and the Health Department for totally failing to act strictly on the violators and has accused them of shifting the blame.
Veljee said, “The licencing authorities have to inspect the hotel kitchens in their jurisdiction at least once a week, which creates a sense of responsibility of hygiene among the establishments. It is not just the FDA, which has to inspect the hotels”.
“The MMC and the Health Department too need to fulfil their duties and make use of their powers. They issue the NOCs for operations and likewise the MMC and Health reserve the right to suspend or terminate the licences of the unhygienic hotels. But they always rely on the FDA for the action,” Veljee added.
“I don’t remember any instance of the Health Department inspecting and taking action against the violators. The three agencies have to come together and form a flying squad to stop these violations and we will support any such move. Be it GMC canteen or the eateries, shutting down such places puts all things in order” the FDA Director added.
