Restaurants’ operation suspension was necessary when violations posed extremely serious food safety hazard: Telangana SAFE chief

A delegation of restaurant owners, led by Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, met Telangana Standards Authority for Food and Essential Drugs (TG SAFE) Commissioner Avinash Mohanty on Monday (November 9, 2026) to discuss the inspections and seek an opportunity for establishments to rectify deficiencies before facing suspension | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Over the past few months, several popular restaurants in Hyderabad have come under the scanner for failing to maintain prescribed hygiene standards and comply with food safety requirements, with some establishments also facing suspension of operations and cancellation of their FSSAI licences. Against this backdrop, Telangana Standards Authority for Food and Essential Drugs (TG SAFE) Commissioner Avinash Mohanty has said that only a small percentage of restaurants inspected by the department have faced suspension, while most have been issued improvement or show-cause notices.Guidelines for uniform assessment, without preferential treatmentClarifying the department’s approach to food safety inspections, Mr. Mohanty said uniform guidelines were issued to field officers to determine whether improvement notices, show-cause notices or suspension orders should be issued, depending on the nature and severity of violations. The guidelines were intended to ensure that all food establishments were assessed using the same standards, without any preferential treatment, he said.Restaurant owners meet OwaisiHis remarks come amid concerns raised by restaurant owners over suspension orders issued to several establishments in Hyderabad. A delegation of restaurant owners, led by Hyderabad Member of Parliament (MP) Asaduddin Owaisi, met Mr. Mohanty on Monday (November 9, 2026) to discuss the inspections and seek an opportunity for establishments to rectify deficiencies before facing suspension.Speaking to The Hindu after the meeting, Mr. Mohanty said suspension was necessary in cases where violations posed an extremely serious food safety hazard. The establishments, with relatively minor deficiencies were found, were issued improvement notices, while others were served show-cause notices, he said.The delegation which met the Commissioner comprised representatives of establishments including Hotel Nayaab, Pista House, Grand Hotel, Shah Ghouse, Sohail Hotel, Hotel Shadab, Imperial and Rumaan. Mr. Owaisi said the restaurant owners had acknowledged the need to maintain proper cleanliness in food preparation areas and ensure that customers were served safe and hygienic food.Hotels ka licence suspend karne jaisi sakht karwai se pehle hotel owners ko Improvement Notice diya jaaye aur unhein apni khaamiyan door karne ke liye munasib waqt diya jaaye. Twin Cities Hotel Owners Association ke delegation ke saath @c_tgsafe Commissioner Avinash Mohanty IPS se mulaqat ke baad AIMIM President Barrister @asadowaisi Sahab ne tamaam tafseelaat bataayi.— AIMIM (@aimim_national) November 9, 2026The delegation requested the Commissioner to issue improvement notices identifying deficiencies and provide establishments with time to rectify them before resorting to suspension, wherever legally permissible. Mr. Owaisi said the owners had cited several instances where they felt an improvement notice would have been sufficient instead of a suspension order.Mr. Mohanty also drew attention to Schedule IV of the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011, framed under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The schedule prescribes the general hygienic and sanitary practices that food business operators are required to follow. “These requirements had been in force since 2011 and were not newly introduced regulations,” he added. Published - November 10, 2026 12:07 pm IST