NEW DELHI: The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended licences of 19 food business operators, including a super distributor of Patanjali Ayurved, and seized food articles worth over Rs 9 crore during a special festive-season drive.
In an official statement on Monday, the FDA said it seized around 3.53 lakh kg of food articles valued at Rs 9.01 crore from 114 establishments across seven divisions of Maharashtra during the campaign.
The seized stock included 2,279.7 litres of Patanjali cow ghee worth Rs 20.20 lakh from M/s Divya Mahavitarak, a super distributor of Patanjali Ayurved in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, on suspicion of misbranding and adulteration, it added.
The FDA said 4,032 units of the ghee were seized, comprising 2,998 units (1,349.1 litres) valued at Rs 12.29 lakh and 1,034 units (930.6 litres) worth Rs 7.91 lakh. The stock was prima facie found to be in contravention of provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, it said.
The FDA said licences and registrations of 19 establishments, including namkeen, sweetmeat and spice manufacturing units in Mumbai, Amravati and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar divisions, were suspended over serious hygiene deficiencies and violations of food safety regulations.
The action included establishments found operating in unhygienic conditions, storing food improperly, lacking pest control and cleaning records, failing to maintain mandatory documentation and not complying with prescribed safety standards, it said.
Umakant Lakhera is a Senior Journalist and Political Commentator
