Mumbai, Dec 24: With New Year celebrations and December 31 festivities approaching, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has gone on high alert to ensure that food served at hotels, restaurants and other food establishments is clean, safe and unadulterated.
Minister for Food and Drug Administration and Special Assistance Narhari Zirwal has directed food safety officers to carry out thorough inspections of hotels, eateries and food establishments across their respective jurisdictions.
Focus on hygiene, expired materials and food safety norms
Emphasising that hygiene in hotels is crucial from a public health perspective, Zirwal said special efforts should be made to create awareness and sensitise hotel operators about cleanliness and food safety.
He said inspections would strictly check the use of expired raw materials, the presence of edible and non-edible colours in food items, and compliance with prescribed hygiene standards.
The minister added that the FDA has launched a large-scale statewide inspection drive to ensure strict enforcement of food safety norms during the festive season.
Statewide campaign launched till January 15
As part of this initiative, the FDA has launched a special campaign titled ‘Swagat Navvarshacha, Sankalp Hotel Swachhatacha’ (Welcoming the New Year with a Commitment to Hotel Cleanliness), which is being implemented across Maharashtra from December 26 to January 15. Under the campaign, hotels that maintain high standards of hygiene and food safety will be encouraged and recognised.
Awards announced for compliant hotels
Zirwal announced that awards will be given to outstanding hotel establishments at both district and state levels. District-level awards will be presented on January 26, 2026, by the respective guardian ministers, while hotels selected at the state level will be felicitated by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. He also instructed officials to submit a detailed report on the campaign to the minister’s office after its completion.
Update on Jejuri fire incident
Meanwhile, the minister also provided an update on the recent incident in Jejuri, where a major fire broke out during victory celebrations following the Nagar Parishad election results. He clarified that investigations have indicated that the fire was not directly linked to the bhandara (turmeric powder).
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Bhandara stock seized, samples sent for testing
As part of the probe, drug inspectors and police visited the site and seized around 2,200 kg of bhandara stock stored in plain bags. Turmeric was found in the seized material, which has now been sent to a laboratory for further testing.
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