Overview

Despite a sharp rise in food adulteration across Telangana—particularly in Hyderabad—enforcement efforts remain sluggish. Over the past four months, food safety officials carried out 5,088 inspections and flagged 381 eateries. Yet, more than 60% of these establishments escaped any penalty. Between 2020 and 2025, authorities tested 18,283 food samples across the state. Of those, 2,642 (15%) were found adulterated. However, only 964 cases (36%) resulted in penalties, Union Health Minister Prataprao Jadhav revealed.

Violations Span Misbranding to Unsafe Food

Officials reported a range of violations under FSSAI norms, including sub-standard products, misbranded items, and outright unsafe food. Telangana currently has over 34,000 licensed food businesses and more than 1.06 lakh street vendors. Assistant Food Safety Controller Pala Dharmender said action remains pending against 1,669 violators. While some cases are under prosecution, many are still delayed at the Hyderabad Collectorate level.

Penalties Defined, But Rarely Enforced

The Food Safety and Standards Act prescribes strict penalties based on the nature of the offence:

• Up to ₹5 lakh for sub-standard food
• Up to ₹3 lakh for misbranded products
• Up to ₹10 lakh for misleading food advertisements

Most reported violations involve substandard or misbranded products. For instance, products like milk that fail to meet minimum fat content standards fall into the substandard category. So far, officials have imposed fines of over ₹45 lakh. While authorities have temporarily suspended several licenses, they have not permanently cancelled any. Officials reserve license revocation for only the most serious violations.

In 2023–24, the state recorded the highest number of adulteration cases, with 973 confirmed violations. However, only 425 of these resulted in penalties. In 2022–23, officials found 894 non-compliant samples, but just 315 cases led to punitive action.

State Vows Tougher Action

Telangana Health Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha recently met with food industry stakeholders and emphasised the need for stricter measures to protect food quality, especially in a city like Hyderabad, which has a global culinary reputation. Food Safety Commissioner Sangeetha Satyanarayana acknowledged a gap between inspections and enforcement, noting that while inspection efforts have increased, the penalty process needs significant acceleration. She stated that all district collectors have been instructed to streamline enforcement procedures.

Meanwhile, Dr. C. Sivaleela, Director of the Institute of Preventive Medicine, highlighted a rise in public awareness. More consumers are demanding transparency from food establishments, including access to kitchen areas. She encouraged the public to actively report unhygienic conditions and unsafe food practices.

Source: The Times of India