FDA suspends 1,376 food and drug licences in Maharashtra, seizes goods worth Rs 63.8 crore

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in Maharashtra suspended a total of 1,376 food and drug licences and registrations in various drives across the state till November 3. Food items, medicines and cosmetics worth about Rs 63.8 crore were also seized.

The food safety drive ran from September 1 to November 3, while the drugs department's figures are for October.

The food department inspected 9,667 establishments in this period, and 954 licences and registrations were suspended. It seized 3,098.46 metric tonnes of food stock worth Rs 63.45 crore. Officials issued 4,603 improvement notices, began action to cancel 25 licences and registrations, and collected 8,835 food samples.

A separate drive keeping Diwali in view ran from October 15 to November 3. It covered 3,332 food establishments. The FDA suspended 326 licences and registrations, began the process of cancelling 15, and seized food stock worth Rs 44.37 crore.

Spices and spice mixes accounted for the highest value among the seized goods, at Rs 21.09 crore. Edible oils followed at Rs 16.31 crore. Milk products worth Rs 7.63 crore and dry fruits worth Rs 7.47 crore were also seized.

By region, the Konkan division saw the highest seizure, worth Rs 21.17 crore. Goods worth Rs 12.37 crore were seized in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Rs 10.39 crore in Pune. In Greater Mumbai, 1,504 inspections were carried out, 142 licences were suspended and goods worth about Rs 1.01 crore were seized.

The drugs department carried out 1,986 inspections of establishments that make and sell medicines in October. In the month, 674 notices were issued, 122 licences were cancelled and 422 were suspended. The department took 11 search and seizure actions, in which medicines and cosmetics worth Rs 34.51 lakh were seized.

In a case of illegal sale of nitrazepam tablets, police registered two FIRs under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and arrested four people. Spurious medicines were also seized from INHS Asvini in Colaba on October 29. These include Empirime tablets and Cardiurex 2 ml, worth Rs 1,00,900.

Looking at action over a longer period, the department carried out a total of 7,950 inspections between April 1 and October 31. Of these, 555 licences were cancelled and 2,074 were suspended.

FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said: "Food businesses that play with people's health will face strict action, which includes suspension or cancellation of licences. Whether it is a big brand or a small one, the rules are the same for all, and the action will be just as strict."