- A cockroach was found in a vegetable dish at Garam Dharam Dhaba in Ghaziabad
- A complaint was lodged with the district administration and Food Safety Department
- Officials found kitchen hygiene issues and a broken deep freezer with insects inside
A viral video of a customer allegedly finding a cockroach in a vegetable dish at Garam Dharam Dhaba in Mohan Nagar, Ghaziabad, has led to a food safety inspection at the restaurant. The customer complained to the district administration and the Food Safety Department, following which a team of officials visited the dhaba on Wednesday.
Ghaziabad Officials Collect Food Samples
ADM (City) Vinay Kashyap and officials from the Food Safety Department inspected the kitchen and found several hygiene lapses.
"We inspected the kitchen of this dhaba/restaurant. During the inspection, we found that their deep freezer, used for storing supplies, was broken at the bottom, and small insects were crawling inside it. Significant filth was also found in the kitchen. While the exterior area is clean, the condition of the kitchen is alarming and a matter of concern," Kashyap said.
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Officials also collected four samples from the premises for testing. These included mustard oil, water, paneer and sauce.
A notice has been issued to the dhaba operator. The kitchen has been ordered to remain closed until the deficiencies pointed out during the inspection are rectified and the required food safety standards are met.
"We came here in response to that matter. The complaint we received via the media appears to be valid," Kashyap said about the viral video.
Hygiene Violations Get Targetted
The action in Ghaziabad comes as food safety authorities in other cities have also taken action against restaurants over hygiene violations.
In Mumbai, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration recently suspended the licences of five establishments, including Gallops at Mahalaxmi Racecourse. During its inspection, officials found live cockroaches and ants in the kitchen, clogged drains and other hygiene violations.
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Another popular Mumbai eatery, Olympia Coffee House in Colaba, also had its licence suspended last week following an inspection. The cafe had recently been in the news after Christopher Nolan, Matt Damon and Tom Holland visited the restaurant during their Mumbai trip for the promotion of The Odyssey.
With Inputs from Abhishek Sharma
