Tukaram Mundhe news: Action's immediate impact? Ganpati mandals seek Maharashtra FDA clarity on ‘mahaprasad’ SOPs

As Maharashtra gears up to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi, mandals in Mumbai have now sought clarification from Maharashtra's Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) regarding standard operating procedures (SOPs) for serving ‘mahaprasad’ during the upcoming festival.

The move comes at a time when Tukaram Mundhe, Maharashtra FDA Commissioner, is cracking down on eateries and restaurants selling adulterated and expired food.

BSGSS seeks clarity on 'mahaprasad' SOPs

On Monday, the Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti (BSGSS), which coordinates Sarvajanik Ganapati mandals across Mumbai, sought clarity from the authorities on the rules governing the distribution of prasad, PTI reported. Speaking at an interaction at the Mumbai Press Club, BSGSS president Naresh Dahibavkar said the committee was prepared to support measures aimed at ensuring food safety. However, he urged the authorities to take into account the financial limitations of smaller mandals and clearly communicate the norms that would apply to them.

The committee chief said that representatives of mandals had reached out to them and flagged concerns over applicable norms and SOPs, following which a letter was sent to officials.

Dahibavkar said, "If the mahaprasad has to be stopped altogether, then tell us that. But, as far as I know, we have not received any answer yet."

A committee representative said, "I agree 100 per cent that action being taken by the department is correct. But our difficulty is we cannot appoint contractors because we do not have that much money. If a reputed contractor is mandatory, please tell us what we should do."

Maharashtra FDA introduces SOP for food safety monitoring

Last week, the Mundhe-led FDA announced a year-round SOP to strengthen food safety monitoring across the state. Under the new guidelines, enforcement activities for festivals will begin 21 days before the event, with a standardised schedule covering all major festivals.

According to the report, the festive season in Maharashtra sees a sharp rise in the consumption of food products prone to adulteration, such as sweets, dairy items, edible oils, meat and dry fruits. In the past, authorities issued separate orders for individual festivals at short notice, often forcing food safety officers to carry out inspections at the last minute while food businesses faced unexpected enforcement action.

The decision to announce a year-long SOP came amid intense pushback over the FDA's recent crackdown across the state, which resulted in the seizure of unsafe food items and widespread licence suspensions.

Additionally, FDA officials will identify areas and food products considered particularly susceptible to adulteration and conduct inspections at manufacturing units, mills, wholesale markets, storage facilities, and other establishments.

The regulatory body has categorised celebrations across the state into three levels based on scale:

1. In Level 1, major statewide festivals like Ganeshotsav, Navratri, Diwali, Eid, Christmas, and New Year are included.

2. In Level 2, regional occasions like Makar Sankranti, Holi, Gudi Padwa, Raksha Bandhan, and Dussehra are covered.

3. In Level 3, the framework covers local fairs, village celebrations, and processions.

(with agency inputs)