Mantra Thakali, operated by Green Tara Hospitality Pvt Ltd in Maharajgunj, Kathmandu, has been fined Rs 250,000 after a consumer complaint alleged that insects were found in food served at the restaurant. The action followed a surprise inspection by a rapid response team from the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control and a joint monitoring team from the Department of Commerce, Supplies and Consumer Protection. The inspection was carried out after the food technology department received a telephone complaint.
Complaint prompted surprise inspection
The case began with a telephone complaint to the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control. The complaint raised a concern about insects in food at Mantra Thakali, prompting the department to act. A rapid response team was sent to the restaurant, while officials from the Department of Commerce, Supplies and Consumer Protection took part in a joint monitoring team.
The teams carried out a surprise inspection at the Maharajgunj restaurant. The fine was imposed following that inspection. The available details do not specify when the complaint was received or when the inspection took place, but they establish the sequence: a consumer raised the concern, the department received it by telephone, teams inspected the premises, and the restaurant was fined.
The inspection involved officials from two government departments with different responsibilities in the response described. The Department of Food Technology and Quality Control acted on the complaint through its rapid response team, while the Department of Commerce, Supplies and Consumer Protection joined the monitoring operation. No further details about the inspection findings or the specific basis used to calculate the penalty were provided.
Restaurant operator fined Rs 250,000
The government imposed a fine of Rs 250,000 on Mantra Thakali, identified as a business operated by Green Tara Hospitality Pvt Ltd. The amount is equivalent to Rs 2.5 lakh. The penalty was issued after the surprise inspection, rather than being described as an immediate response to the complaint alone.
The complaint concerned insects reportedly found in food. The available information does not identify the food item involved, say how many insects were reported, or describe the circumstances in which the complaint was made. It also does not state whether the restaurant disputed the allegation or provide a response from its management. The reported action is limited to the inspection and the fine imposed afterward.
What is known about the action
The case highlights the steps described by the authorities in this incident: a consumer complaint was received by telephone, a rapid response team was mobilized, and a joint monitoring team conducted a surprise visit. The government then fined the restaurant Rs 250,000. No information was provided about whether any food was tested, whether the premises were ordered to make changes, or whether additional action was taken.
Mantra Thakali is located in Maharajgunj, Kathmandu, and the fine was imposed on the restaurant's operating company, Green Tara Hospitality Pvt Ltd. The action followed a complaint about food hygiene, but the details available do not establish any broader findings about the restaurant or its other operations. The reported outcome remains the Rs 250,000 penalty imposed after the inspection.
