Maharashtra FDA Seizes Suspected Food Stock Worth ₹9.76 Crore During Ganeshotsav Safety Drive
· Free Press Journal
Mumbai, September 24, 2026: As Ganeshotsav draws to a close on Friday, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has seized 6.34 lakh kg of suspected food stock worth Rs 9.76 crore during a statewide festival safety drive from September 1 to 23. The action included 3,068 inspections, collection of 2,423 food samples, suspension of 248 licences and cancellation of 12 licences.
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FDA Action Across State
The FDA also issued 1,506 improvement notices and filed 455 cases under Section 69 of the Food Safety and Standards Act. Of these, 398 cases have been disposed of, with penalties totalling Rs 53.60 lakh recovered.
The drive covered food establishments dealing in items that see a sharp rise in demand during festivals, including sweets, khoa, dairy products, ghee, edible oil and fasting foods.
The Nashik division recorded the highest seizure, with 4.42 lakh kg of suspected food stock valued at around Rs 6.23 crore. In Mumbai, FDA officials conducted 325 inspections, issued 226 improvement notices, suspended 53 licences and cancelled one licence. They also collected 88 samples and seized 4,203.55 kg of suspected stock worth Rs 16.24 lakh.
Festival Enforcement Portal
The department said the enforcement was carried out under a permanent festival Standing Order and through its newly launched Festival Enforcement Portal, aimed at making festival-related food safety checks time-bound and transparent.
During Ganeshotsav, 3,198 Ganesh mandals submitted online applications for bhandara, annachhatra and mahaprasad. Based on risk assessment, FDA officials conducted on-site inspections at 383 locations, checking cooking areas, drinking water, raw materials, storage practices and hygiene of food handlers.
Food Safety Checks
FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said the department's focus was on preventing unsafe food from reaching devotees while ensuring that religious rituals were not disrupted. The FDA primarily targeted production units, warehouses, cold storages, mills and wholesale markets before festivals.
The portal provides an annual festival calendar and automatically schedules activities such as production inspections, supply-chain monitoring, retail checks, public awareness and legal action. It also allows mandals to submit applications online and enables officials to monitor enforcement across 90 zones.
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Maharashtra: Tukaram Mundhe-Led FDA Expands Food Safety Drive To Schools, Festivals, Pharmacies & Food Outlets; Warns Violators Of Stringent ActionThe FDA has advised citizens to buy sweets, prasad and fasting foods from licensed establishments, check licence details and retain bills. Mandals organising community food distribution during upcoming festivals have been asked to inform the FDA at least seven days in advance.
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