As sanitation and food-safety issues continue to make headlines, a viral video from a Delhi restaurant has caught the internet’s attention. The widely circulated video shows utensils being washed in the washroom. The video is allegedly recorded inside New Delhi Sweets at Korba Niharika.
The video was allegedly recorded by a customer, which showed employees washing cooking utensils on the floor of a toilet. The video has raised concerns about the way food is being handled and cooked in the restaurant.
Officials Visit Eatery
As the video went viral, Food Safety Officer Sangharsh Kumar Mishra decided to visit the eatery. inspected the establishment to assess hygiene arrangements and verify the circumstances shown in the footage. During this, the outlet’s operator reportedly told officials that a disruption in the water supply had forced staff to use the washroom area to wash the utensils as an emergency measure.
However, Mishra was not convinced by the statements. He claimed that the conditions in which the utensils were washed were unhygienic and did not meet the safety standards. Following this, the food safety official issued an improvement notice to the restaurant, directing the management to correct the deficiencies and put adequate arrangements in place within two to three days. The officials further warned of the establishment of a suspension of food licences if the said changes are not implemented.
The incident has again drawn attention to the basic hygiene requirements at food establishments, particularly the need for separate and suitable facilities for cleaning utensils. While the management has cited the water-supply disruption as the reason for the incident, officials are now monitoring whether the required corrective measures are implemented within the stipulated period.
In recent days, major restaurants in Delhi and Mumbai were issued notices after inspection. JW Marriot and Andaz Hotels were issued notices after food safety officials found multiple food safety, hygiene and licensing violations on their premises. The FSSAI had also suspended the food licence of Delhi-based Park Plaza Hotel after it uncovered major violations of protocols.
ALSO READ: FSSAI Orders Ban On Nestle Dairy Whitener Sale After Sample At Delhi's Lalit Hotel Found 'Unsafe'
The viral footage has meanwhile intensified scrutiny of the eatery, with the food safety department’s inspection expected to determine whether further action is warranted beyond the improvement notice