Messy kitchens: Rs 5K fine imposed on Panjab University's StuC shops

Tejasvi Khatri

Chandigarh, June 21

A day after some videos showing poorly maintained kitchens went viral, the Panjab University authorities ordered the closure of food shops at the student centre for a day to carry out cleanliness work.

On Thursday, some students entered these shops and caught the poorly maintained kitchens on camera. The videos of this incident went viral on social media, and the university authorities imposed an Rs 5,000 fine each on the shopkeepers, and the shops remained closed today to carry out cleanliness work. There are over 10 shops at the student centre of the campus that offer food, snacks, and juices.

A student at the university, Arun, said, “Yesterday, a student spotted a dead insect in his food. Thereafter, a group of students entered the kitchen and shot those videos.”

He added, “These shops hardly maintain hygiene. I have seen rats roaming in their kitchens. The authorities should carry out inspections on a regular basis here.”

Meanwhile, shopkeepers said they sell good-quality food. “They say that we sell dirt in our shops. If we sold dirt, it would not have been this popular. We are popular for our quality. Anyone can make mistakes. Making a big fuss out of it seems more like a way to gain political mileage,” said a shopkeeper.