The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Nagpur Division, has issued an immediate suspension of the food business license for the well-known Ashoka Restaurant, located on Mount Road in Sadar. The establishment has been ordered to immediately cease all food preparation, storage, and distribution until all hygienic and structural violations are fully rectified.
The swift regulatory action followed a formal complaint filed on July 11 by a diner who reported finding a dead cockroach in a soup order. A subsequent surprise inspection conducted on July 17 by FDA officials exposed widespread, systemic non-compliance with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
Major Safety Lapses Discovered During Inspection
The official inspection report detailed severe sanitary and operational deficiencies across the premises:
Widespread Infestation: Active cockroach infestations were detected throughout key areas, including the Chinese cooking section, pickup counters, hot plate areas, refrigeration units, and storage rooms.
Contamination Risks: Raw and cooked items, as well as vegetarian and non-vegetarian foods, were stored together without proper segregation across the restaurant’s 12 refrigerators and two deep freezers.
Poor Food Handling & Sanitation: Inspectors noted greasy kitchen floors, scattered food debris, moldy cabbages, rotten produce, and unhygienic conditions during food portioning.
Structural Deficiencies: The inspection revealed corroded refrigeration units, leaking ceilings, peeling wall paint, fungal growth in vegetable storage, and a washroom door opening directly into the main kitchen area.
Improper Storage: Packaging materials, cleaning chemicals, and staff personal belongings were kept in direct proximity to food items due to a lack of designated separate storage.
The enforcement drive was executed under the supervision of Joint Commissioner (Food) Krishna Jaipurkar, alongside Assistant Commissioner A. S. Sadar and Food Safety Officers K. S. Sonewane, T. G. Lokhande, and V. T. Kharat.
The FDA emphasized that the restaurant’s license will remain suspended indefinitely until a thorough re-inspection confirms full compliance with all FSSAI hygiene and food safety standards.
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