Deccan Chronicle         12.01.2011

Health panel cracks down on eateries

January 12th, 2011

Jan. 11: The BBMP standing committee on health cracked the whip against mineral water units running without ISI certification and dhabas which were operating in unhygienic conditions at Roopena Agrahara. During a surprise inspection on Tuesday morning, chairman of the committee Manjunath Reddy expressed concerns about people’s health and directed the closure of AM Enterprises if the quality and ISI certification was not maintained. He said that some of the mineral water production units were found filling borewell water into empty mineral water bottles.

The committee also discovered that some of the units were misusing the labels of the branded company and taking gullible customers for a ride. The committee also swooped on Clares’ Enterprises, which was also found filling non-mineral water into bottles and making a quick buck by fooling the public. Such a supply of untreated water would be detrimental to the health of the people who consumed it, said Mr Reddy.

Owners of mineral water units picked up a quarrel with the committee and alleged that they were harassing ‘poor people.’ An unmoved committee insisted that they produce an ISI certification if they wanted to continue running the business.

Earlier, the standing committee members inspected Sardharji Ka Dhaba at Rupena Agrahara and came down heavily against its proprietor for failing to maintain cleanliness and hygiene. The committee noticed an open kitchen which lacked hygiene and they found rotten and half-boiled eggs being served to customers.