Authorities’ shutdown Hattrick Unit at Hazratbal

Srinagar, May 8: Hattrick Fast Food unit at Hazratbal Srinagar was shut down on public health grounds by Food Safety Department on Friday. Assistant Commissioner Food Safety along with a team of officers inspected the said unit and to their shock and surprise found a latrine inside processing area (kitchen). The team immediately issued an order in black and white and directed the Station House Officer Hazratbal to seal the Hattrick fast food unit.
Pertinently, a group of tourists from Maharashtra on May 6 had alleged that they found a cockroach in their food at Hattrick Restaurant located outside Kashmir University at Hazratbal Srinagar. The photographs taken by these tourists soon after the incident showed the ugly face of the kitchen. “The kitchen here stinks and I was shocked to see the rusty and filthy utensils,” the tourist Vipul Sompura had said.
Assistant Commissioner Food Safety Hilal Ahmed confirmed to CNS that they ordered for the closure of the Hattrick Unit at Hazratbal after visiting there. He said copies of the order were sent to Health Minister, Commissioner Food Safety, Drug Controller and SHO Hazratbal has been asked to implement the order in letter and spirit.
Assistant Commissioner Food Safety revealed that last month they had lifted a Biryani sample from Hattrick’s Sanatnagar sale establishment and that analysts have found that sample unsafe for public consumption.
The order copy issued by Assistant Commissioner Food Safety that is lying with CNS reads, “Today on May 8, 2015, I along with concerned food safety officers Srinagar visited your restaurant/ fast food manufacturing unit at Hazratbal Srinagar and found that your kitchen is in total mess. The utensils used for the preparation of food are rusted and damaged. Latrine was found in processing area (kitchen). Synthetic food color (organic red) was also found in the kitchen. This office is in receipt of a complaint as circulated in print media that cockroach was found in biryani which was served to customer on May 6, 2015. Moreover, food analyst vide number FSSAD4354 dated 4/4/2015 declared an already lifted sample of biryani from your Sanatnagar sale establishment as unsafe. Copy of which has already been served. As such in the interest of public health you are hereby prohibited from further manufacturer/sale of food products from your manufacturing unit at Hazratbal Srinagar till the report of samples are received from food analysts.”