Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation seals Karachi Bakery for not maintaining hygiene

Hyderabad: An outlet of Karachi Bakery at Banjara Hills was sealed by the GHMC on Thursday for allegedly not following standards of food hygiene. The GHMC found during their raid that many norms were violated in the bakery’s kitchen, located on the top floor of the building. GHMC food officer Dr T. Damodar said that upon inspection, they found the kitchen to be unhygienic.

“The kitchen was not clean and the workers and cooks were not using gloves. In view of the safety of public health, we sealed the bakery and its kitchen. It will be reopened only after the management takes measures to maintain hygiene and safety precautions,” he said.

It all started when a team of GHMC tax wing officials asked the bakery management to produce documents such as building approval plan, occupancy certificate, property tax receipts, trade and food licences and fire safety certificate among others. The GHMC officials claimed that the bakery staff abused them. “Their employees abused our officials and even obstructed us from doing our duty,” Dr Damodar said.

Subsequently, health wing officials inspected the kitchen, found that it did not meet hygiene standards and sealed it. However, the owners of the bakery said they were being targeted.

“Our brand is more than 60 years old, and we are known for our quality, standards and the taste of our products,” said Manoj Ramnani, one the owners of Karachi Bakery.

“This morning, some GHMC officials entered the bakery at Banjara Hills and started talking rudely and then they entered the kitchen. They were not even talking to us, and started making calls to mediapersons,” said a family member who did not reveal his name.

It may be mentioned that GHMC Commissioner Somesh Kumar had issued orders directing officials to verify and assess the property tax of 2,087 buildings that had been given occupancy certificates in the last three years. As a part of this drive, officials had gone to the bakery.