The Hindu 20.03.2013
BBMP issues notice to Koshy’s over hygiene
One of the city’s iconic restaurants, Koshy’s on St.
Mark’s Road, which has been around since 1940, closed for some three
hours from 3 p.m. on Tuesday after the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara
Palike (BBMP) slapped a show cause notice on it for poor hygiene.
According
to a senior official from the BBMP’s health department, S. Venkatesh
Babu, chairperson of the Standing Committee for Public Health, lunched
at the popular hangout. Thereafter, he inspected the kitchen and
storeroom and complained to the department following which the range
officer and team inspected the premises.
According to
the range officer, neither the kitchen nor the storeroom was maintained
hygienically nor was the utensil washing area well maintained. “We have
issued a notice to the owner, besides levying a fine of Rs. 25,000. We
have also directed the owner to close the kitchen until repairs and
remedial measures are taken up,” the official said.
Councillor
Babu said the BBMP had asked the management to not conduct any business
till measures to maintain hygiene are taken up.
However,
the restaurant opened in the evening and it was business as usual with
the regulars, who swear by the food here, hanging out here. Patrons
seemed to be oblivious to the BBMP notice. One of them, Nitin, said
“everything was normal”.
BBMP officials told
The Hindu
they would inspect the eatery again on Wednesday. “How can the hotel
function when we have asked the management to close the kitchen? We will
inspect again and levy a fine.”
When contacted, owner Prem Koshy declined to comment.
