A task force of the Telangana Commissioner of Food Safety, during an inspection at the canteen of the NALSAR University, one of the premier law schools in the country, came across shocking violations of hygiene.
The team found rat faeces and cockroach infestation in the store room, insect-infested muskmelon seeds, and food items without packing date, expiry date, or batch number.
According to the Commissioner of Food Safety, the task force inspected the food establishments in the NALSAR University Canteen at Shamirpet the FSSAI license was obtained at the registered address instead of the food preparation premises. There was no Food Safety Training and Certification (FoSTaC) trained supervisor. Pest control records and water analysis reports were not available.
Rat faeces and cockroach infestation were found in the store room. Windows and doors of the food preparation area and dining area do not have insect-proof screens. The floor where food is prepared was found to be slippery. Temperature records were not maintained. Raw materials were kept on the floor without pallets. Muskmelon seeds used for gravy curries were found to be insect-infested. Whole green gram (30kg) was found without a packing date, expiry date, and batch number. The raw rajma (90kgs) was also found to be not labelled.
The report was posted on the social media handle of the Commissioner of Food Safety, prompting worried parents to demand action. Parents, speaking on condition of anonymity, said their wards were frequently falling sick and rapidly losing weight. They also said complaints of finding cockroaches in food were common.
Even on ‘X’, the parents voiced their concerns. “Strict action against authorities is long overdue. As parents, we have been worried about repeated instances of food poisoning on the NALSAR campus,” wrote CSC Sekhar.
“As a student of NALSAR, this is just the beginning of the food safety woes we face on a daily basis, rats, roaches, and insects in the food are a common sight, and even rotten milk/spoiled eggs are being served,” wrote Niyudh Gupta.
The student’s body has also been urging authorities to undertake necessary inspections daily and concrete measures to ensure food safety but there has been little response.