Savitribai Phule Pune University has cancelled the contract of the private operator running its girls’ hostel mess after the Food and Drug Administration suspended the contractor’s licence for 14 days following an inspection that found cockroaches and other unhygienic conditions on the premises.
The FDA inspection was carried out on Tuesday, and the contractor was heard on Thursday over alleged violations of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Ajinkya Umap, a food safety officer, said the licence suspension was temporary and would remain in force for 14 days. During that period, the contractor could rectify the deficiencies, after which the FDA could conduct a re-inspection and revoke the suspension.
The university, however, decided to terminate the contract instead of waiting for the temporary suspension process to conclude. Prafulla Pawar, the university’s registrar, said the decision followed the FDA’s action against the mess operator.
“ We have directed the students to have their meals at the main refectory until further notice, following the closure of their mess,” Pawar said. The arrangement shifts food access for the affected hostel residents to the university’s main refectory while the girls’ mess remains closed.
Pawar also said the university had been preparing to issue tender notices for several shops that had remained closed for some time. The tender for the girls’ hostel mess will also be floated, opening the way for the university to appoint a new operator.
The university has further asked the contractor to refund students’ fees if any payments were collected in advance. The statement did not specify the number of students affected, the amount of any advance fees, or the timeline for appointing a replacement operator.
The action places responsibility for the immediate food arrangement with the university while the regulatory process remains separate. The FDA’s licence suspension allows for rectification and re-inspection, but SPPU’s cancellation of the contract ends the existing operator’s role at the hostel mess.
The next administrative step is the issuance of the tender notice for the mess contract. Until further notice, students have been directed to use the main refectory, while the university processes the contract cancellation and any applicable fee refunds.
