Kolkata: A popular rooftop restaurant on Chowringhee that had shut its kitchen for two days this week following a notice from Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) reopened on Friday after its ingredients and food samples passed the tests.According to KMC health department sources, a team from Roots visited the civic headquarters on Friday and submitted the results of tests that were carried out on ingredients and food samples. The samples had cleared the test, paving the way for the resto-bar to be operational again.According to a KMC food safety cell source, the submission of the test results followed by an application by the rooftop restaurant management has brightened the scope for reopening of the establishment. “The restaurant management has approached us for giving a nod for making the restaurant operational with the test results of the ingredients. We are actively considering their appeal for reopening,” said the civic official.Roots owner Ramesh Kumar Agarwal said the civic body carried out checks in Aug and picked up samples of five-seven items. On Sept 4, it received a notice from KMC on licence cancellation. In the dark about why the notice was served, Agarwal went to the civic headquarters on SN Banerjee Road and met the senior officials.“From what we gathered, there was some issue with possibly the oil and the curd being used. We pointed out that the ingredients we use are all approved by FSSAI, the supervising authority for food safety in the country. The civic commissioner then told the officials to recheck the samples while allowing the restaurant to function given the impact on employees. We also took the same samples that KMC did and sent them to an accredited lab. The results arrived on Friday and we submitted them to KMC,” Agarwal said, adding that he took pride in serving the best possible food and experience to customers and would continue to do his best.Sources in KMC said besides the popular restaurant on Chowringhee, owners of several other restaurants have approached the civic brass with a plea to give permission for reopening on the eve of the biggest festival in the state. “We are not in favour of keeping the restaurants closed. But we need to ensure that citizens are not compelled to eat stuff that is unfit for consumption. Also, we are worried about the poor maintenance of hygiene in the kitchens of the eateries. This needs a sea change,” said a KMC food safety inspector.
