25 September,2026 10:37 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Representational Image. Pic/Pixabay
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a permanent standing order for festivals throughout the year to strengthen checks against adulterated and unsafe food, while launching a dedicated online Festival Enforcement Portal to track enforcement activities.
The initiative comes ahead of the festive season, when demand for food products such as modak, pedha, khoa, paneer, ghee, milk, curd, edible oil and dry fruits rises sharply. The demand for fasting foods, including bhagar, sabudana and rajgira, also increases during several festivals, the FDA said.
According to the FDA, the sharp rise in demand for food products within a short period can increase the risk of adulterated or unsafe products entering the market.
The department said some businesses may attempt to take advantage of the increased demand, making inspections and enforcement particularly important during festival periods.
Complaints related to food safety violations can be registered through the FDA's online complaint system.
"Keeping this in mind, the Food and Drug Administration has issued a permanent Standing Order for all festivals throughout the year, and a dedicated online 'Festival Enforcement Portal' has been launched for its effective, transparent and time-bound implementation," the FDA said.
The Festival Enforcement Portal provides information on festivals throughout the year, from Makar Sankranti to Christmas, the FDA said.
The festivals have been divided into three categories based on their geographical scale. Level-1 covers statewide festivals, Level-2 covers regional festivals and Level-3 covers local festivals.
The classification is intended to help the department plan inspections and allocate personnel according to the scale and potential food-safety risks associated with different festivals.
The portal also allows mandals to submit information online about community food distribution events such as bhandara, annachhatra and mahaprasad without having to visit an FDA office.
The department said applications submitted through the portal, details of the officers assigned to them and the status of on-site inspections can be tracked in real time.
Designated officers will be assigned across 90 zones, the FDA said.
The department said it had received 3,198 applications through the portal for organising community food distribution events.
The FDA said Food Safety Officers conducted inspections at 383 locations after assessing the applications and determining the level of risk.
During the inspections, officers provided guidance on several aspects of food safety, including the condition of cooking areas, availability of drinking water, quality of raw materials, food storage practices and hygiene among food handlers.
The department said the risk-based approach allowed its limited manpower to be deployed at locations where the need for inspection was considered higher.
Separately, the FDA inspected 3,068 food establishments across Maharashtra between September 1 and September 23.
According to the FDA, improvement notices were issued to 1,506 establishments where deficiencies were detected during inspections.
The licences of 248 establishments found to have committed serious violations were suspended, while 12 licences were cancelled, the department said.
The FDA also filed 455 cases under Section 69 of the relevant Act. Of these, 398 cases were disposed of and penalties amounting to Rs 53.60 lakh were recovered.
The department said the enforcement measures were part of its broader effort to monitor food safety during festivals and respond to violations through inspections, notices and regulatory action.
(With inputs from PTI)
