Maharashtra's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has confiscated goods worth about Rs 12.74 crore — yaani Rs 1,274 lakh — during inspection drives in the past few days and cancelled or suspended the licences and registrations of 68 establishments, with closure orders against some others, news agency IANS reported on Sunday, citing an FDA statement. The special drive, covering the Navratri-to-Diwali festive period, was carried out across seven divisions — Mumbai, Konkan, Pune, Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nagpur and Amravati — under FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe.
Source: IANS via HiIndia
In the crackdown on banned gutkha, pan masala and flavoured tobacco, about two dozen FIRs were registered and 20 people were arrested, the FDA said. In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division, 197,480 kg of stock — including chilli powder, raisins, jaggery and pasteurised butter — valued at Rs 4.19 crore was seized from two cold storage facilities in a single day, and the licences of both facilities were suspended. In Palghar-Manor, goods worth Rs 1.51 crore were seized from a truck and eight people were arrested, while goods worth Rs 83.35 lakh were seized in Jalna and four cases involving goods worth Rs 24.61 lakh were registered in Mumbai.
Source: IANS via HiIndia
The FDA investigation in Thane and Pune districts found that expired and spoiled food supposedly sent for destruction was being reintroduced into the market. A total of 8,392 kg of such stock, valued at Rs 48.09 lakh, was seized. According to the FDA statement, the supply chain involved company warehouses, disposal contractors, unauthorised disposal centres, intermediaries and retailers, and the companies failed to provide complete and verifiable records of the destruction process. Five licences were suspended in that probe and criminal complaints were filed.
Source: IANS via HiIndia
Inspections also found unhygienic kitchens, drainage problems, cockroach and rat infestations, vegetarian and non-vegetarian food stored together, unauthorised food colouring and staff without medical certificates, the FDA said. Following the findings, 68 licences were suspended, seven establishments were ordered to shut down and four outlets were fined a total of Rs 1.30 lakh. Nation Press also reported the same FDA figures on Sunday — Rs 12.74 crore in seized adulterated goods and action against 68 licences ahead of Diwali.
Source: Nation Press