Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) officials on Monday found as many as 15 hotels in Hyderabad, including some prominent ones, which were found to be using unstamped meat and maintaining unhygienic premises.
According to The New Indian Express, a team consisting of Deputy Commissioners, health and sanitation officials conducted surprise checks on 27 hotels, out of which 15 were found to be using unstamped meat and operating in unhygienic premises.
It was also reported that the officials received information and complaints from customers.
Some of the prominent restaurants were raided and reportedly fined between Rs.5,000 and Rs.40,000.
Sagar Hotel in Shapurnagar has been closed down by GHMC for maintaining unhygienic conditions in the kitchen and procuring meat illegally.
Another popular restaurant, Minerva Grand Hotel in SD Road, has been fined Rs 10,000 for lack of hygiene.
According to The Hindu, Sohail Hotel in Nalgonda X Roads was fined Rs. 40,000, while Astoria Hotel in RTC X Roads was fined Rs. 20,000. Paradise Hotel in IS Sadan and Al Saba in Gachibowli were also asked to pay Rs. 20,000 and Drunkyard Shivani bar in Gachibowli was fined Rs. 10,000.
This came after GHMC instructed the hotels under their limits to maintain hygienic premises and use only stamped goat meat from notified slaughterhouses.
“Instructions to hotels and restaurants were issued in March directing them to purchase meat only from GHMC slaughterhouses. Despite quality meat available from slaughterhouses, most hotels and shopkeepers buy meat from private butchers, violating rules. Food inspectors under section 674 of HMC Act are authorised to seize these,” a GHMC food inspector told Deccan Chronicle.