6 Bakeries, Eateries Face Action In Maharashtra Food Safety Crack Down

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday said it suspended the licences of six eateries and bakeries, most of them in Mumbai, for violations of norms and poor hygiene during an enforcement drive conducted the day earlier.The regulatory agency also issued stop-business notices to four bakery establishments in Mumbai during the statewide enforcement drive conducted on July 23, according to an official statement.The FDA, under its new commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, has launched a massive state-wide crackdown targeting food adulteration, fake dairy products, and unhygienic eateries.According to the statement, a total of 61 hotels, restaurants, dhabas (roadside eateries) and bakeries were inspected across the state during the day-long drive.The FDA issued 34 improvement notices, suspended six licences with immediate effect and served four stop-business notices for violations of food safety norms. Of the 61 inspections, 34 were carried out in Mumbai, where 22 improvement notices, five immediate licence suspensions and four stop-business notices were issued, it said.The statement said the establishments whose licences were suspended with immediate effect were Meraz Crystal Bakery, Mahim; M/S Anmol Bakery & Stores, Sahar Road, Andheri (East); Maharashtra Bakery & Restaurant, Aarey Naka, Chembur; M/S Sawa Bakery & Restaurant, Aarey Road, Goregaon (East); M/S Ujwala Bakery, Laxman Tatde Road, Dahisar (West), all in Mumbai, and Hotel Shri Yuvraj Khanaval at Dighanchi in Sangli district, western Maharashtra.The regulatory authority said stop-business notices were served to Meraz Bangalore Aryan Bakery, Kalachowki; Meraz Golden Bakery, Chirag Nagar, Ghatkopar (West); Fine & Fresh Bakery, Vikhroli (West); and Big Bite Bakery Pvt Ltd (Anas Jahangir Ansari), Akurli Road, Kandivali (East), all in Mumbai.The state-run agency said inspections found a series of violations, including operating without valid registration or licence, poor hygiene and non-compliance with provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and related rules.Similar enforcement drives against food business operators violating safety norms would continue across the state, it added.(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)