Prejudiced act, shout hotels

The Hotels and Restaurants Association has termed the raids conducted at the major star hotels, by the municipalities and health department in the city on Friday, as a ‘prejudiced act’.


“For getting publicity the authorities are imposing charges against the hotels and restaurants,” said Jose Mohan, Hotels and Restaurants Association secretary.


According to the latest food safety act, hotels can preserve food at minus four degree and minus 18 degrees.


“In the latest incident at Maradu, the authorities did not take into account this factor. We will approach court for justice. These raids will destroy the industry,” he said.


“We are confident that the foods served in these hotels are the best. As part of the protest all the restaurants in the state will down their shutters on Saturday,” he further said.


Le Meridien general manger Rajesh Madan said that only food samples were taken from the hotels. “Reports that stale food was seized from our hotel is not true. We are serving only good food in the hotel,” he said.



BTH Sarovaram general manager Dinesh said that health authorities were creating panic among the public. “They were not able to find any stale food from our hotels but they have taken samples from here,” the manager said.


Meanwhile, Hotel White Fort managing director Muhammad Altaf said that the seized pickle from the hotel was not stale.


Castle & Cook Restaurant general manager K V Sudhan also maintained that only food samples were seized from the hotel. “But it was only  part of their job. They could not find anything unhygienic in the hotel,” he said.


Abad Food Court general manger Thomas Kurian stated that the health authorities were deliberately targeting the hotels.


“Since the launch of the hotel we have been serving only safe and healthy food in our hotel,” he said.