The Nashik Food and Drugs Administration has suspended the licence of a college canteen on Trimbak Road after an inspection found unhygienic conditions, cockroaches and other insects in food articles. The action followed repeated complaints from students about poor cleanliness at the canteen operated by a well-known educational institute.
FDA officials inspected the canteen on October 16 after receiving the complaints. During the inspection, they found the premises unhygienic and detected cockroaches and other insects in food items. The department subsequently decided to suspend the canteen’s licence, citing food safety and public health concerns.
A senior FDA official told the Times of India that students must be provided with safe, clean and high-quality food. The official said the continued complaints about cleanliness and the discovery of cockroaches and insects in food articles led to the enforcement action.
The inspection and enforcement operation was carried out by food safety officer Pratik Bhad. The FDA did not disclose in the report how many students use the canteen, the duration of the licence suspension or whether the institute has been asked to complete specific corrective measures before seeking restoration of the licence.
The action places responsibility on the canteen operator and the educational institute to ensure that food is stored, handled and served in conditions that comply with applicable safety requirements. College canteens serve a large and often captive student population, making hygiene controls important not only at the point of cooking but also across storage, preparation and service areas.
The Nashik FDA appealed to all food business operators to maintain hygiene on their premises and follow safe food storage and handling practices. It also reminded operators that they must comply with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and associated rules and regulations.
The department warned that stringent action would be taken against establishments violating food safety norms. The next steps for the Trimbak Road canteen, including any compliance inspection or application for licence restoration, were not specified in the report.
