Mumbai

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) needs to be "fair, impartial and uniform" in its drive concerning hotels and eateries, including those in government and semi-government establishments, the Bombay High Court noted on Friday, questioning the agency’s “98 per cent clean” certificate to the Mantralaya canteen.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad ordered a team of four lawyers to immediately visit and inspect the Mantralaya canteen and report to the court in the afternoon on the situation there.

Within hours of the directive, the FDA, accompanied by lawyers, inspected the canteen at the state secretariat to check for hygiene and food safety standards.

Earlier in the day, the FDA submitted to the court a chart detailing all eateries and canteens, including the three on the high court premises and at Mantralaya, as well as private clubs across the city.

According to the chart, the Mantralaya canteen received a 98 per cent cleanliness score.

The court raised doubts over this and asked the authority to submit the inspection photographs and videography.

"Show us the pictures and videos of the Mantralaya canteen when the inspection was carried out. As per FDA, the canteen is spic and span. You (FDA) have submitted photos from the inspection carried out at the Poornima restaurant. Be uniform and fair to all. You cannot target only private properties,” the court said.

The bench then directed a panel of four lawyers to immediately visit the Mantralaya canteen.

The court noted that while it appreciated the work being done by the FDA, the agency also needed to remain impartial.

"We appreciate the department for the work they are doing, but we only want them to be equal to all. They should not be lopsided towards anyone. They need to be impartial and fair," it said.

The bench said it would hear the matters again Friday afternoon.

The court also sought to know from the FDA the circumstances and parameters based on which some eateries were issued improvement notices, while others were directly served with suspension notices.

"In some cases, the FDA has issued an improvement notice, but in a few other cases the authority has bypassed this and sent a suspension notice directly," the court said.

Senior counsel Venkatesh Dhond, appearing for Poornima restaurant, said the FDA issued a suspension notice without following the due process of law.

Following the court's order, the FDA, accompanied by lawyers, inspected the Mantralaya canteen, including the kitchen, drinking water arrangements, cleanliness and overall hygiene.

They also reviewed food quality, sanitation practices, management of the canteen and compliance with food safety regulations.

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FDA officials will submit a report of their findings to the court as part of the exercise.