Telangana high court refuses relief to Pulla Reddy Sweets over food safety violations | Hyderabad News

Hyderabad: Telangana high court on Wednesday refused to grant interim relief to G Pulla Reddy Sweets, observing that public health concerns must take precedence after food safety authorities suspended the licence of its Sanathnagar manufacturing unit over alleged hygiene violations.Hearing a lunch motion petition challenging the suspension, Justice NV Shravan Kumar underscored the seriousness of the allegations, particularly during the festive season when food products are widely consumed.“All these sweets (manufactured at the unit) would be exported; what name would the country get if (spoilt sweets) were detected abroad? It’s lucky that it was detected in Hyderabad itself before they were sent out,” the judge observed while adjourning the matter to Nov 6.The Telangana Standards Authority for Food and Essential Drugs (TG-SAFE) suspended the unit’s food safety licence on Oct 27 following inspections conducted as part of a statewide crackdown on food manufacturing facilities.During the inspection, officials allegedly found rotten vegetables, rat faeces, expired and mislabelled food products, unhygienic manufacturing and washing areas, poor personal hygiene among food handlers, and operations being carried out under an incorrect licence category. Authorities also seized 3,133 kg of food items valued at ₹15.03 lakh.Appearing for the sweets manufacturer, counsel argued that the authorities had effectively shut down the unit even before issuing notices, allegedly in violation of prescribed procedures. He assured the court that none of the defective material would be supplied to retail outlets and said the management was committed to complying with all food safety and hygiene norms.The petitioner further contended that the deficiencies pointed out during the inspection had since been rectified and sought restoration of the licence, citing festive season demand and pending customer orders.Opposing the plea, P Shravan Kumar Goud, govt pleader for health, medical and family welfare, argued that the allegations were serious and involved larger public health concerns. He maintained that granting relief at this stage could undermine the ongoing enforcement drive against food safety violations.Stressing that the crackdown was being carried out across Telangana in the interest of consumer safety, the govt urged the court not to interfere with the suspension.Observing that public health could not be compromised, the judge remarked that “we (courts) are with you (TG SAFE)” and directed the authorities to conduct a fresh inspection of the unit and submit a detailed report before the next hearing.