Hyderabad: A joint raid by the Hyderabad Food Adulteration Surveillance Team (H-FAST) and the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) found improper storage of chicken waste at a shop, Eagle Fisheries in Secunderabad, on Tuesday, June 30.
The raid, led by H-FAST Sub-Inspector P Abhilash along with GHMC veterinary doctor Dr Sanjay Reddy, was conducted following a tip-off.
While H-FAST initially reported that the shop was selling rotten chicken, the GHMC official confirmed that chicken waste was found improperly stored on the premises, leading to the accused being booked under relevant sections of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (FSSAI).
“During the inspection, we found chicken waste was not being stored properly at the premises. There was no report of rotten chicken being sold. The matter has been handed over to the Veterinary Department, and a fine of Rs 3,000 has been imposed on the shop,” Dr Sanjay Reddy told Siasat.com.
Officials said the establishment had all required licences renewed, including its FSSAI licence. The only issue found during the inspection was related to chicken waste storage.
The case has been handed over to the Veterinary Department for further action, and a fine of Rs 3,000 has been imposed on the shop. H-FAST has stepped up inspections across the city in recent weeks, targeting shops and eateries found violating food safety and waste disposal norms.
The Eagle Fisheries raid comes amid a wider crackdown by H-FAST since its formation in March this year. On June 8, the team, along with GHMC, busted an interstate chicken waste transport network, seizing about 90 tonnes of raw poultry waste from seven vehicles across Amberpet, Kulsumpura, Attapur, and Rajendranagar. The waste was found being illegally diverted to aquaculture farms in Andhra Pradesh as fish feed instead of being sent for authorised disposal.
H-FAST has also carried out a string of other raids in recent weeks, including the seizure of 825 kg of suspected adulterated paneer products from 45 outlets and eight manufacturing units on June 17, and around 110 kg of fried chicken along with adulterated cooking oil from an unlicensed godown in Charminar.
