The Pune division of Maharashtra’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seized food products worth about Rs 32.2 lakh from 11 establishments during inspections conducted on October 14 and 15, citing suspected adulteration, incorrect labelling and misleading product information ahead of the Navratri festival.
The action formed part of the state-wide “Safe Food, Safe Medicine, Safe Maharashtra” campaign being conducted under the leadership of Maharashtra Food Safety Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe. The FDA said demand for products used during fasting rises during the festive period, prompting targeted inspections to check food quality and safety.
The Pune division inspected 14 establishments in total, of which 11 were in Pune district. The largest seizures were reported from the Market Yard area. Bhansali Udyog had 6,402 kilograms of rajgira, sabudana and bhagar seized, with the stock valued at Rs 7.50 lakh. From Bhansali Trading Company, officials seized 5,836 kilograms of glass nylon sabudana and groundnuts valued at Rs 7.37 lakh.
At RS Foods in Yewalewadi, 3,669 kilograms of glass nylon sabudana and groundnuts worth Rs 5.73 lakh were seized. Jayalakshmi Snacks LLP in Dhayari had 2,018 kilograms of refined palmolein oil, potato chivda and navratna mix, valued at Rs 5.29 lakh, taken into custody.
Officials also seized 3,504 kilograms of sabudana and vari bhagar worth Rs 3.44 lakh from Pooja Sales Corporation in Market Yard. Parmar Foods in Dhayari was found holding 1,452 kilograms of jaggery and sweets made from rajgira, valued at Rs 1.88 lakh. The FDA also took action against Uttam Trading Company, Rajesh Enterprises, Khandelwal Food Products, Yashraj Food Processing and Jayshree Purohit Foods, from where products including sabudana, rice, jaggery, edible oil and wafers were seized.
Separate inspections of food-selling establishments found sanitation and compliance violations. At Hindavi Swarajya Special Ghee Sabudana Vada on Jangli Maharaj Road, officials found that vegetable fat was being used instead of ghee to prepare sabudana vadas. The establishment was accused of misleading consumers and was ordered to stop operations because it did not have the required food licence or registration.
The FDA also found serious violations under Schedule 4 of the food safety regulations and unhygienic conditions at Yasin Food Centre in Wagholi. Its food licence was suspended with immediate effect.
The enforcement drive also covered banned gutkha, pan masala and flavoured tobacco products. Between October 1 and 15, the Pune division seized prohibited stock worth Rs 11.95 lakh. The FDA said 21 first information reports had been registered, 13 establishments sealed and 25 people arrested in these cases.
Digambar Bhogawade, joint commissioner for food in the Pune FDA division, urged consumers to report complaints about food quality and hygiene through the toll-free number 1800 222 365. He said enforcement action would continue during the festive period to protect public health.
