Violation of food safety norms at AIIMS Delhi Mess? Doctors' forum seeks immediate action

New Delhi: An hour after the Food Safety and Standard Authority of Indian (FSSAI) officers shut down the hostel mess at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi because of several irregularities and unhygienic conditions, the Resident Doctors Association (RDA) alleged that the administration reopened the mess without taking any measures to deal with the problems. 

The irregularities and unhygienic conditions were found after a surprise inspection was conducted by representatives of various doctors' organizations on August 10. 

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The resident doctors association (RDA) of AIIMS also wrote a letter in this regard to AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria, asking him to take immediate action over this. The letter stated, "This time, the irregularities were so severe that everyone present reasoned out that if the mess continued to function, it could cause major health havoc."

Further, according to the letter, the doctors' association alleged that rotten vegetables, old paneer blocks, fungus growing inside deep freezers, ants inside the freezer, a live rat in the utensil cleaning area, wheat flour stored openly in an unhygienic bin, and lizards in the kitchen were found during their inspection at mess no. 7. The inspection was carried out by the representatives of the RDA, Scientists of Young Society (SYS) and AIIMS Students Association (ASA) in the presence of the hostel warden, security officials and an official from the FSSAI, reports the Indian Express. 

The RDA alleged that the mess had irregularities for a long time and the vendors were also given repeated warnings. Dr Jaswant Jangra told the Times of India, "Earlier, around 2,000 students were going to this mess for food, but considering the unhygienic conditions, many of them have now stopped going there." Further, the letter read, "On July 1, a meeting was held with the mess owners to correct all these irregularities within seven days. After July 7, we visited the mess again and found only minor improvements. Also, inflated prices were displayed on the menu board. A surprise inspection on July 29 found the same irregularities."

An official said that the FSSAI officials visited the hostel mess under the 'Eat Right Campus' initiative. The resident doctors and the FSSAI officials sent the review to the hostel administration after signing the letter. The officials gave some time to the mess manager and the staff members to take out any raw materials or food items that may go waste before shutting it down. However, it was opened within an hour of being closed down without taking any safety measures by the hostel administration, said the doctors' association.

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