Notice issued to Hyderabad’s Meridian Restaurant over hygiene violations

Hyderabad's Meridian Restaurant faces food safety violations after cockroach complaint, leading to STC case and notice issuance.

Hyderabad’s Meridian Restaurant faces trouble again as Telangana’s Food Safety department officials inspected the establishment on August 3 following a complaint. A notice was issued, and a Summary Trial Case (STC) was booked against the restaurant.

The inspection was prompted by a post on X by Srikhande Umesh Kumar on August 2, in which he reported finding cockroaches at the restaurant. “Despite multiple inspections by Food Safety teams, hygiene standards at the local eateries remain a concern. Cockroaches were observed at Meridian Restaurant. I urge the authorities to take immediate action,” he wrote.

A senior official confirmed, “The concerned food safety officer inspected the premises on August 3 upon receipt of the complaint and submitted the inspection report. A notice has been issued and an STC case was booked against the establishment.” The violations reported by the Food Safety Officer (FSO) include water analysis report not being available, broken tiles in the kitchen area, insect-proof screens not fitted on the windows, and few food handlers found without gloves and haircaps, the official informed.

In September 2023, the restaurant was temporarily shut down by authorities after a customer was allegedly beaten to death following an argument with the staff over ‘raita’. After a few weeks, the restaurant reopened to the public. However, complaints about unhygienic conditions persisted. In December 2023, a Reddit user posted about finding cockroaches in biryani ordered from Meridian Restaurant. “If there is a cockroach in your food, then it means there are cockroaches in your kitchen which means you are not paying enough attention to the hygiene/pest control of your premises,” the user had noted.