Full Breakdown
Kolkata Municipal Corporation Suspends Licences of 40 Eateries in Food-Safety Crackdown
9/9/2026, 5:46:26 PM
Background & Context
Consumer Safety Week was launched on September 1 by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and the state health department began an inspection drive covering restaurants, hotels, food courts, markets and sweet-shop outlets across the city and adjoining areas as a pre-emptive measure ahead of Durga Puja.
Core Event
On September 8, KMC Commissioner-cum-Administrator Smita Pandey announced the temporary suspension of FSSAI licences for about 40 restaurants, eateries and confectioneries. Notable establishments named included the 94-year-old Nizam’s, Shimla Biryani on the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass, an outlet of Karim’s on Ripon Street, Arsalan in Nagerbazar, Don Giovanni’s, Balaram Mullick & Radharaman Mullick, Sri Hari and several others. The suspensions last two weeks, after which the units must submit compliance reports to regain permission.
Data & Statistics
- KMC inspectors examined 592 establishments, collected 161 food samples and destroyed roughly 1,224 kg of non-conforming items.
- Notices issued: 89 show-cause, 112 Section 38, and 40 suspension notices.
- The state Department of Health reported that by September 7 it had inspected 5,439 premises, found major irregularities in 4,722, drawn samples from 2,758 locations, prohibited sales at 98 sites and cancelled or suspended licences at 35 installations.
- Seizures included over 10 kg of frozen meat in Gariahat market, 6 kg of cottage cheese and 5 kg of khoya kheer in Bowbazar’s Chhana Patti, and packets of spices lacking expiry-date labels in Burrabazar.
Official Statements & Responses
Commissioner Pandey called the inspections “an eye-opening” exercise that highlighted widespread hygiene lapses, especially in sweet-shop premises. She stressed that the two-week suspension is procedural, not permanent, and that establishments must rectify deficiencies before re-applying. State Food Minister Ashok Kirtania noted that previous administrations had not addressed repeated reuse of cooking oil or expired ingredients. KMC announced a forthcoming workshop for affected businesses to reinforce food-safety guidelines and test bottled-water supplies before operations resume.
On-the-Ground Reports
Inspection teams recorded violations such as:
- Use of spices past their printed expiry dates.
- Reuse of cooking oil more than three times.
- Presence of rotten meat, fungal growth and unsuitable colourants in biryanis.
- Insect and rodent infestations, including cockroaches inside refrigerators.
- Unlabeled frozen chicken and mutton, missing expiry stickers on spice packets, and wall-paint mixing with biryani.
- Sweet-shop kitchens described as “unhygienic” with inadequate storage for confectionery items.
Criticism & Opposition
Sagar Daryani, president of the National Restaurant Association of India, argued that enforcement should prioritize education, remediation and capacity-building rather than immediate licence cancellations. Sudip Mullick, director of Balaram Mullick & Radharaman Mullick, contested his outlet’s inclusion on the suspension list, asserting that it maintains high hygiene standards.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the total premises inspected: KMC cites 592 establishments, while the state health department reports 5,439 inspections by September 7. The two-week suspension window provides no definitive schedule for reopening, and it is unclear how many establishments will meet compliance before the Durga Puja peak period.
