Bad Hygiene Forces 33 Goa Restaurants To Shut For 48 Hours

Alan D’Mello - Mumbai

Thirty-three restaurants in Goa voluntarily shut shop for 48 hours in the last week of August, to rectify their bad hygiene problem. Upon inspection by the state health and sanitation departments, it was found that the hygiene levels at the restaurants were not upto mark.

Said Gaurish Dhond, secretary, Hotel and Restaurants Owners Association (HROA), Goa, “During the inspections which were jointly conducted by the HROA and the state government, it was found that the restaurants in question had some areas where hygiene was a problem. The officials recommended that the problems be tackled immediately, preferably within 48 hours. The Association agreed with the officials, but felt it would not be possible to undertake the repairs with the restaurants running. Therefore, the restaurants volunteered to stop operations.”

The problem actually arose when it was found that the sewage system in the state’s capital, Panjim, had ruptured and was leaking into the water system. Dhond says that upon realisation, the hoteliers took up the matter with the state chief minister, who then ordered the problem be rectified and the inspections undertaken. It was during the inspection that the restaurant’s poor hygiene situation was realised. Said Dhond, “Restaurateurs outside the capital too were affected by the leakage, but restaurants and even some hotels in Panjim were the most affected.” The leakage has since been rectified.

Dhond insists the problem areas were minimal such as the discharge of water, the clean-up area, flooring and garbage disposal among other issues. “We also offered that another inspection be undertaken after 15 days. But more importantly, we have requested the government to arrive at a classification system for restaurants, just as is the practice in Mumbai,” said Dhond.