Mumbai: Bombay HC on Tuesday asked the state FDA to “be consistent” in its laudable drive and directed it to conduct a fresh inspection on Thursday of Mumbai Cricket Association’s (MCA) premises in BKC, where the food licences of five restaurants were suspended last week.While it did not stay the suspensions, HC allowed MCA to serve tea and coffee through vending machines as “a temporary arrangement” owing to ongoing tournaments.The FDA action was challenged in HC. Senior counsel Vikram Nankani for MCA said the suspensions were unwarranted and senior counsel Vineet Naik for the restaurants’ operator concurred.The bench led by Acting Chief Justice R V Ghuge praised FDA commissioner Tukaram Mundhe’s drive to tackle hygiene lapses. The ACJ orally said FDA is “doing a good job”, but it should “do it consistently and not in an ad hoc manner”.HC asked FDA, represented by counsel P P Kakade, why it had “deviated from the form of giving marks” for compliance in each category. Hence, HC directed it to conduct fresh inspections.When Kakade said MCA could always go in appeal before the FDA commissioner, HC said that was of no use as appeals take time.Kakade contended that it was not only a hygiene issue but also issues regarding licence and terms of licence. HC directed FDA to apply its mind on the “licence issue” and file a reply by Friday, and then posted the next hearing for Saturday.
