Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) sanitary has started conducting surprise checks on the restaurants.
It checked more than 500 restaurants within its jurisdiction and in a short span of only a week, the department have sealed 15 popular restaurants for serving rotten meat and seafood.
Officials said the restaurants had been storing chicken, mutton, fish and prawns for 10 days. Most did not have deep-freeze facilities.
‘Shahi Biryani Darbar, a popular restaurant in Trimulgherry, had fungus I meat,’ officials found.
“The owner had bought chicken, mutton and seafood in bulk and put it in the fridge for 10 days. A foul smell filled the room when we opened the fridge,” said SCB sanitary wing officer M Devender.
“We destroyed the meat immediately.”
A North Indian restaurant in Marredpally, Punjabi Kurries, had spoilt stock of chicken and mutton.
Eagle Fisheries, a wholesale supplier of poultry, meat and seafood did not have proper storage facilities.
“A juice centre in Marredpally was using rotten fruit in its juices. The fruit was bought at a cheaper rate from vendors,” said an official.
Restaurants have been sealed and given 10 days to rectify the problems. “If they fail to do it, the penalty will be Rs 1 lakh. The raids will continue in the area,” the official said.