The New Indian Express ·
Maharashtra FDA suspends 404 licences, seizes food products worth Rs 67 crore in three-month drive
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suspended 404 licences and seized food products worth Rs 67.20 crore during a three-month statewide enforcement drive from June to August, the agency said on Friday.
The crackdown covered milk and dairy products, edible oils, sweets, bakery products, spices and other food items. The FDA said it inspected 9,485 establishments and issued 4,321 improvement notices during the period.
Milk and dairy products worth Rs 5.4 crore were seized during the drive. The agency, however, did not provide a division-wise break-up of inspections specifically involving milk and dairy establishments or the number of arrests linked to such violations.
The FDA said Pune division recorded the highest number of inspections at 4,261, followed by Konkan (3,142), Greater Mumbai (1,451), Nashik (1,356), Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (1,173), Amravati (989) and Nagpur (711).
The enforcement drive also covered the ban on the manufacture, sale, distribution and transport of pan masala, gutkha, scented tobacco and similar products in Maharashtra since July 13.
The FDA said contraband worth Rs 19.62 crore was seized from 795 establishments. It registered 644 FIRs, arrested 867 people, sealed 483 establishments and seized 110 vehicles.
Of the total stock seized, food products other than dairy items were valued at Rs 42.17 crore, while prohibited products accounted for Rs 19.62 crore.
The FDA's enforcement action also covered mangoes, khoya, candy, jaggery, ghee, dates, ice cream and kulfi, frozen desserts, spices, betel nut and toddy, among other products.
(With inputs from PTI )