The Nashik Food and Drugs Administration has suspended the licence of a college canteen on Trimbak Road after an inspection found unhygienic conditions and cockroaches and other insects in food articles. The action followed repeated complaints from students about poor hygiene at the canteen operated by a well-known educational institute.
FDA officials inspected the canteen on the college campus on October 16 after receiving the complaints. During the inspection, they found that the premises were unhygienic and detected cockroaches and other insects in some food articles. The findings led the department to suspend the canteen’s licence and initiate strict action under food-safety requirements.
The department’s intervention places responsibility for food safety not only on the canteen operator but also on the institution hosting the facility. College canteens serve a concentrated population of students and staff, making cleanliness, food storage and handling important operational requirements rather than optional standards. In this case, the inspection followed repeated complaints, indicating that concerns about the facility had continued before regulatory action was taken.
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 action was taken in the interest of public health and food safety because of persistent complaints about cleanliness and the discovery of cockroaches and insects in food.
The inspection was carried out by food safety officer Pratik Bhad. The FDA has appealed to food business operators to maintain hygiene on their premises, ensure safe storage and handling of food, and comply with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and associated rules and regulations.
The department’s warning applies more broadly to establishments operating food businesses in Nashik. It said stringent action would be taken against establishments found violating food-safety norms. The statement did not provide details about the duration of the suspension, whether the canteen may reopen after corrective measures, or whether any further penalty has been imposed.
For the college canteen on Trimbak Road, the immediate regulatory action is the suspension of its licence. Any subsequent decision on its operation will depend on the FDA’s enforcement process and compliance with the hygiene, storage and food-handling requirements cited by the department.
