Hyderabad, Nov. 5 -- The Telangana High Court on Wednesday, November 4, refused to restore the licence of G Pulla Reddy Sweets' Sanathnagar manufacturing unit, holding that public health must come before the company's festive season business.

The unit's food safety licence was suspended on Tuesday, October 27, after the Telangana Standards Authority for Food and Essential Drugs (TG-SAFE) inspected it during a statewide drive against food manufacturers. Officials allegedly found rotten vegetables, rat faeces, expired and mislabelled products, dirty manufacturing and washing areas, and food handlers lacking basic personal hygiene. The unit was also reportedly operating under the wrong licence category.

Authorities seized 3,133 kg of food ...