Tukaram Mundhe clarifies his new order - Maharashtra FDA chief explains his food safety directive

Maharashtra FDA commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has clarified the purpose of the latest food safety directive. According to him, the order aims to prevent adulteration and ensure safe food at gatherings. It does not control how people celebrate festivals or follow traditions.

Tukaram Mundhe's clarification follows concerns about arrangements for food served during festivals and public events. He told PTI that people appeared to have misunderstood the standing order.

"There appears to be some misunderstanding and apprehension regarding the standing order issued for food-safety arrangements during festivals and large public gatherings. "The order does not regulate festivals. It regulates food safety," Mundhe told PTI.

"We are not regulating festivals; we are ensuring that food served at festivals – just as in weddings, bhandaras, Eid, Christmas, New Year's Eve events and other gatherings -- is safe and compliant with a law that has existed since 2011," the Maharashtra FDA commissioner said.

The Food and Drug Administration recently introduced a Festival Enforcement Calendar for the entire year. This followed months of stronger action against food adulteration, according to PTI. The calendar creates a system for monitoring food safety during celebrations and gatherings.

According to Mundhe, the food safety framework has been operational since 2011. It includes registration and licensing requirements for Food Business Operators.

The directive does not create a new law or introduce another licensing system. It also does not impose additional restrictions specifically on festivals.

According to the senior IAS officer, the standard operating procedure (SOP) does not discriminate on the basis of religion or festival. It does not ban bhandaras, prasad or community food distribution. Neither does it interfere with Ganapati celebrations, other religious festivals, rituals or traditions. Communities can continue to organise events and celebrate according to their customs.

Year-round SOP

Earlier, officials often issued separate food safety instructions before individual festivals. The new order replaces that approach with a standing framework covering the entire year. It applies across religions and communities, instead of addressing celebrations separately as they approach.

"It is a uniform, year-round SOP for implementing the existing food-safety framework, applicable without discrimination to all communities, all festivals and all food-service activities,” Mundhe said.

"The objective is not to restrict celebration but to prevent illness. Let festivals be celebrated with faith, joy and tradition and let the food served during the festivities be safe," he added.

The FDA chief said preventing illness would remain the purpose of the directive. He urged people to celebrate with faith, joy and tradition while ensuring food remains safe. The focus, according to him, is on applying existing safeguards wherever food is served.