Nearly half of the food establishments inspected across Maharashtra during a 100-day special drive were found with deficiencies, prompting the state Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to issue more than 5,200 improvement notices and suspend 603 licences.
The FDA inspected around 12,000 establishments during the campaign, covering different segments of the food industry, including milk and milk products, hotels and restaurants.
What Action Did The FDA Take?
The improvement notices were issued to establishments where deficiencies were detected, and corrective measures were required. Licences of 603 establishments were suspended for failing to comply with prescribed food safety requirements.
According to Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, the licence suspensions were linked to violations of the conditions laid down under Schedule 4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011. He described these requirements as “non-negotiable”.
FDA: Issue Goes Beyond Kitchen Cleanliness
Mundhe said the inspection drive should not be viewed only through the lens of food adulteration or the cleanliness of restaurant kitchens.
He said the wider impact on public health also needs to be considered.
"I think we have to look at it not as a food safety issue but a public health issue," he said,” Mundhe told NDTV.
What Did The 100-Day Drive Find?
The FDA identified deficiencies requiring correction across the establishments inspected during the campaign. However, Mundhe said the situation was not uniform across Maharashtra and that the severity of the problems varied from one region to another.
He also said that more than half of the establishments inspected were found to be fully compliant with the regulations.