MUMBAI: Following back-to-back inspection of food establishments by the FDA, which has been on a licence suspension spree across the city’s restaurant landscape, eateries are finding themselves racing to fix violations and file appeals within 15 days in order to reopen.Many of their workers have been sent back to their villages as business remains shut.There are about 82 appeal applications across the state so far, with half of them originating in the city.Assistant commissioner (food) Santosh Kamble said that after paperwork is submitted, an FDA team conducts a physical verification.“If the compliance is not as required, we ask them to rectify the remaining issues and then allot them a revised date,” he said.Some, like the Parsi Dairy Farm in Marine Lines, reopened only on Tuesday after another round of inspection was carried out by the area’s food safety team.The outlet had faced issues like fungal growth on walls, the storage of raw materials directly on the floor, and pest and rodent infestations. A representative said compliance reports have been submitted regarding all violations and that fixes have been made.Bristol Bakery in Mahim, a sister outlet of Jimmy Boy, reopened on Wednesday after days of renovation work. A person closely associated with the outlet said they have addressed structural issues such as broken tiles, and pest control has been conducted again.The person said that at the time of the inspection, issues such as flour on the floor were pointed out without considering that it is bound to happen around machinery.“All of the inspections are a positive move on the part of the FDA. We only wish they had held talks with us first, because this is very sudden. Most of us conduct monthly repairs and checks, with major repairs done annually.For years, there was very limited interaction, and now suddenly they are in full force,” the person said.FDA commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said that in the early days after he took over, meetings were held with the Indian Hotel & Restaurant Association and similar organisations.“We provided them with all the instructions. They are well aware that certain standards need to be implemented, which have been in force since 2011,” he said.Bhendi Bazaar’s Shalimar restaurant still remains shut a week after its suspension, undergoing extensive renovation work.Its neighbour, Noor Mohammadi, remains closed, but one of its representatives said the kitchen is getting a complete makeover.“We wish they had given us a notice. We have already filed an appeal and have told them we will take some time,” he said.
