Tukaram Mundhe-led FDA crackdown on Reliance Warehouse, a facility linked to Blinkit; flags “cockroaches, spitting” | Today’s news
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in Maharashtra, led by Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer and FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundh, continues its crackdown on unsanitary and unsafe food practices, with its latest action targeting a Reliance retail warehouse for the second day in a row and facilities associated with Blinkit.
According to news agency PTI, officials found safety violations including rodent infestation, improper storage and failure to keep records of disposal of expired food.
According to the news agency, the license of the Reliance Retail warehouse in Chakan has been canceled and the license of the Blinkit-connected facility in Nighoje has been suspended.
What did FDA find in Reliance Retail warehouse?
On October 14, FDA officials inspected the Reliance Retail warehouse at Chakan in Khed taluka and found rodent infestation, cockroaches on the floor and employees spitting on the premises.
“Rodent infestation was found throughout the warehouse, while expired and spoiled products were stored together without segregation. Cockroaches were also found in floor crevices and employees were seen spitting on the premises,” the statement said, according to PTI.
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Although the company submitted an agreement with the waste disposal agency, it did not provide verifiable evidence of actual disposal of expired products, the FDA warned.
The FDA official canceled the license on October 15 and a First Information Report (FIR) was registered at North Mahaluge MIDC police station.
What did the FDA find at the warehouse linked to Blinkit?
An inspection of a Blinkit-linked warehouse at Nighoje, in Khed taluka, was conducted on October 14. Officials found in the warehouse of M/s Linkit Commerce Pvt Ltd. leaky packaging and cockroach infestation.
The FDA also found that the cold room was too warm and the facility could not provide records that the required storage temperature was maintained. The temperature in the cold room exceeded 5 degrees Celsius.
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“Raw and non-raw food were stored together, while 50 kg of Tata salt and 60 kg of semolina were stored directly on the floor. Leaking packages and cockroach infestation were also observed. Out of approximately 600 employees, only five employees had FoSTaC (food safety training and certification),” the statement said.
The FDA suspended the facility’s license on October 15 and an FIR was also registered at the MIDC police station in South Mahaluge.
FDA has cracked down on warehouses in Pune and Thane
On October 17, the FDA cracked down on several warehouses in Pune and Thane districts on suspicion that expired, damaged and rejected food products meant for destruction were being diverted back to the market.
The establishments under investigation included warehouses associated with Reliance Consumer Products and Reliance Retail at Wadpe in Bhiwandi and Zomato Hyperpure at Usatan in Ambernath. The regulator also ordered two unlicensed establishments to cease operations.
As part of a wider operation, the FDA suspended five warehouse licenses and seized 8,392 kg worth of stock ₹48.08 crores.
