Food Safety Raids Raise Concerns About Hygiene Standards in Cyberabad
With the Cyberabad Municipal Corporation (CMC) continuing its food safety raids at popular restaurants, customers have begun questioning the lack of hygiene standards at some of their favourite eateries. And as establishments scramble to save face – repainting kitchens, replacing knives and generally improving the sanitary standards, as detailed in part 1 of this series – the harder question facing diners is whether any of it would win back their trust. It appears not to be easy. A majority of the people spoke to said they are trying to cut down on outside food as much as possible. Still, a few believe that such resolutions are only temporary, as the public has “become blind” to the unsanitary conditions. “I wouldn’t eat outside even if someone paid me to,” said Tabassum, a 32-year-old dentist. “I have noticed lately that I have fallen sick every time I eat outside. So I have decided to completely cut it out for me and my children,” she said. Others are more reluctant to take drastic measures and are instead going to selected places they trust. “Personally, all this was not too shocking for me, because, you know, parents are always telling you not to eat outside exactly for the same reasons. However, it does weigh on your mind a little when you keep seeing these raids on your social media feed. So, as a compromise, I’m only going for the few items that are my favourite,” said Firdous, a 21-year-old private employee. For vegetarians, the situation is not just about hygiene but also a compromise on values. “I previously did not think much before going to restaurants that also serve non-vegetarian food, but after seeing so many places not follow proper segregation, I’ve started being much more mindful of where I eat,” said Vishakha, a 21-year-old private employee. “You (restaurants) have given people vegetarian and non-vegetarian options for a reason, so you should respect their choice. Still, many a time, I see people using the same utensils and dishes for both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food,” she added. Anshika, a student, said she and her family have started opting for pure veg restaurants for the same reason. Kartik Ayosla, a 35-year-old marketing professional, believes people have become “blind” to the awful situation and will continue with their regular habits. “Still, it does not mean restaurants do not have a responsibility. Food is sacred in all religions, and if you are messing with that, it is a grave breach of people’s trust.” Nital, a 52-year-old businessman, also believes that the public has a “short-term memory” and people will soon go back to old habits. “For the public’s safety, the government should keep up continuous monitoring and restaurants should be more transparent about their operations,” he said. About restaurants saying that the food safety officers came at a “wrong time,” he said, “What do they mean by wrong time? You are running a restaurant; things should be proper at all times.” The concentration of recent raids in Cyberabad limits rather than Hyderabad also seems to have twisted people’s perception. “Most of the raids I see are at these big restaurants in Hitech City and whatnot. I think the bandis near my house are much better in this sense. They bring in their ingredients in small quantities and use them up the same day. Just look at a normal pani puri wala . He cannot use the same stock the next day, unlike these restaurants which make and store stuff in bulk,” said Afshan, a 45-year-old private employee. College students, whose plans with friends often revolve around food and visiting new places, are also taking a hit. Some are planning meetups with home-cooked food, while others are exploring new options. “I used to eat at my canteen often, but now I take a tiffin on four out of five days,” said Mishkat, a first-year degree student. “Some of my friends also got food poisoning, so now we just go on rides on our bikes and drink juice at stalls rather than going to cafes,” she said. Sarah, another first-year degree student, said that her friends were opting to meet at each other’s houses as they do not want to risk falling sick. “We still eat at our canteen because we can see them making everything right in front of us. Maybe cafes should also start promoting the cleanliness of their kitchens rather than advertising new food trends,” she added. Parmeswaran, a 29-year-old bachelor living alone, said he hired a maid recently because outside food proved too hard, both physically and financially. “My health was getting worse, but cooking every day while also working is hard. So, I had to hire help. It might still be as expensive as eating out, but at least I can have peace of mind and even eat dishes from my hometown, which are harder to come by here,” he said. As for Nital’s demand for “continuous monitoring,” the CMC official quoted in part 1 of this series insists the raids are not a passing exercise but will go on all year long, with the corporation now working with platforms like Swiggy and Zomato to keep delisting outlets whose licenses have been cancelled. Whether that is enough to overcome the public’s “short-term memory,” as Nital puts it, may be the real test of the campaign.
