Owaisi Wants Telangana Safe To Warn Hotels First
AIMIM chief urges TG SAFE to follow due process and allow businesses time to rectify violations.
Hyderabad: In wake of a series of raids by the Telangana Standards Authority for Food and Essential Drugs (TG SAFE) on food establishments across Hyderabad, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday urged the authority’s commissioner to not directly seize or close down hotels over initial violations. Instead, he requested that authorities issue a one-week ‘Improvement Notice’ to give businesses time to comply before acting tough.
Leading a delegation of representatives from the Twin Cities Hotel Owners Association to the commissioner’s office, the Hyderabad MP raised concerns over ongoing food safety inspections and restaurant closures across the state, particularly in Hyderabad.
He urged the commissioner to implement uniform, transparent and legally standard enforcement procedures. He also advised the department to strictly adhere to Section 32 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and issue an Improvement Notice under Section 32(1), as per the norms. Also provide a reasonable time for compliance, not less than 14 days as prescribed under Section 32(1)(d), considering the nature of the deviation.
He highlighted the need for consistency across all checks to prevent arbitrary targeting and ensure transparency for local businesses.
Following the representation, TG SAFE commissioner Avinash Mohanty assured the delegation that the authority would strictly follow legally prescribed guidelines and maintain fairness throughout its regulatory checks.
