Bengaluru Civic Body Takes Action Against Unhygienic PG Kitchens
The Bengaluru South City Corporation sealed ten paying guest accommodations on Monday. This action followed surprise inspections that revealed unhygienic kitchen conditions in these establishments.
Widespread Inspections Across South Bengaluru
Officials from the corporation conducted thorough checks of paying guest facilities in several key areas. These areas included Jayanagar, Bengaluru South, BTM Layout, and the Bommanahalli Assembly constituency.
The civic body inspected a total of sixty-six paying guest establishments during this operation. They focused on verifying the availability of essential facilities for residents.
Key inspection points covered multiple safety and hygiene aspects:
- Availability of safe drinking water
- General cleanliness standards
- Kitchen hygiene conditions
- Proper safety measures in place
- Adequate toilet facilities
- Fire safety equipment availability
- Installation of CCTV cameras
- Possession of FSSAI food safety certification
Enforcement Actions and Penalties
The corporation had previously issued notices to PG operators. These notices gave them seven days to rectify identified deficiencies and comply with prescribed norms.
During Monday's inspection, officials imposed a total fine of twenty-two thousand five hundred rupees. This penalty addressed various deficiencies found across the inspected establishments.
The kitchens of ten paying guest accommodations were found operating in particularly unhygienic conditions. Authorities immediately sealed these ten facilities to prevent further operation until improvements are made.
Background of the Crackdown
The Greater Bengaluru Authority ordered this crackdown on unlicensed accommodations. Raids have been ongoing since November of last year.
Initially, these inspections focused on paying guest facilities operating without proper licenses. The scope expanded following a tragic incident in December.
A twenty-three-year-old IT employee died in his PG accommodation in Kundalahalli. The death resulted from an LPG cylinder explosion in a six-storied building containing forty-three rooms.
After this accident, all corporations under the Greater Bengaluru Authority began conducting inspections. They followed specific instructions from the chief commissioner.
Recent Inspection Activities
On January ninth, the Central City Corporation inspected three hundred twenty-one paying guest accommodations. They sealed several of them for gross hygiene violations.
One inspection in Shantinagar faced resistance from PG owners. When officials visited Garden PG for inspection, the owners denied them entry for approximately twenty minutes.
Local police intervention became necessary to proceed with the inspection. Authorities discovered this PG was operating without a license and maintained an unauthorized kitchen on the terrace.
Officials issued a notice warning that the facility would face sealing next month if violations persisted.
Mixed Reactions to Inspection Drive
Some stakeholders have criticized these inspection drives. They claim the actions serve as mere eye wash rather than genuine efforts to address safety and hygiene concerns.
Critics argue that revenue generation motivates these inspections more than substantive problem-solving. The civic body continues its enforcement activities despite these criticisms.
The Bengaluru South City Corporation maintains that these inspections protect resident safety. They emphasize compliance with established norms for all paying guest accommodations operating within the city.
