COIMBATORE: Based on a complaint from students that an insect was found in the hostel food, officials from FSSAI inspected the food and its distribution vehicles at the Social Justice Hostel on Balasundaram Road in the city on Thursday.
A student from the hostel told TNIE that, as usual, breakfast was brought to the hostel from the common kitchen centre at Kannampalayam on Wednesday morning.
"While Pongal and sambar were being served to students, a student allegedly found an insect in the sambar. Shocked, the students did not eat the food and dumped it in the food waste bin. The students then complained to the food control room of the Social Justice Department seeking action and shared evidence through its WhatsApp number on the same day," he said.
He recalled that this was not the first such incident, claiming that insects were also found in sambar served on September 20.
Another student said food is supplied to hostels located at various places in the city through the common kitchen centre. He alleged that the vehicles used to transport the food to the hostels were not maintained properly.
According to sources, around 500 students stay in hostels under the Social Justice Department which comes under the Social Justice Department, with around 95% of them studying in government colleges in Coimbatore.
When contacted, an FSSAI official in Coimbatore said that officials had inspected the hostel and kitchen centre on Thursday. He said a notice was issued to the contractor for failing to properly maintain the kitchen and vehicle, and was fined Rs 5,000.
He further said that the contractor had been asked to rectify the deficiencies within three days.