PANAJI
The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has cracked the whip on restaurants and eateries in the capital city, issuing improvement notices to at least 30 outlets over the past few days.
The inspections, supervised by senior food safety officer Richard Noronha, revealed some lapses in hygiene, water purification systems, and general kitchen maintenance.
Noronha, designated food safety officer for North Goa under the FSSAI Act, said the notices were served after checks on 21 outlets last week and 10 more on Tuesday.
“Most of the issues were related to cleanliness, broken tiles, and upkeep of water purifying gadgets,” he explained. Establishments have been given a fortnight to comply.
The inspections also uncovered makeshift cooking arrangements. With LPG supplies hit by disruptions linked to the Middle-East war, some restaurants had set up temporary chullahs. Noronha said these were examined closely and modifications were advised to ensure food safety.
He stressed that the campaign was part of routine enforcement but admitted the scale of violations though significant in Panaji were not on the scale and as bad as in Bardez. “We do not intend to shut businesses down. We want them to improve and meet safety standards,” Noronha said.
Restaurant owners acknowledged the notices but said they hoped for practical guidance.
“We will take corrective steps,” said one restaurateur operating in Tonca, even as he lamented that switching to Piped Natural Gas (PNG) is becoming cumbersome and the process has a two-month wait period.
