Mumbai, October 20, 2026: Around 100 packets of branded milk and curd were found dumped in the mangroves of Nerul by volunteers of Environment Life Foundation during a cleaning drive, raising questions over whether the products were discarded to avoid scrutiny by the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) amid its intensified crackdown on food safety violations.
The incident comes amid intensified enforcement by FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe against food safety violations across Maharashtra. The department has stepped up inspections and action against non-compliant food businesses, including the seizure and destruction of food products found unfit for consumption or in violation of prescribed norms.
Packets Found During Mangrove Cleaning Drive
The foundation, which has been conducting mangrove-cleaning drives in Nerul for the last 322 weeks, found the packets dumped in the ecologically sensitive area. The possibility that the products were expired, potentially adulterated or otherwise non-compliant and were discarded to avoid FDA action cannot be ruled out. However, the condition of the products and the circumstances surrounding their disposal have not been established.
Source And Expiry Details Yet To Be Established
It remains unclear who discarded the packets and whether the products were expired, damaged, adulterated or dumped for another reason. Establishing their batch details, expiry dates and source could help determine the circumstances behind the incident and whether any regulatory violation occurred.
Foundation Flags Environmental Concerns
“It is heartbreaking to see milk and curd packets from top brands ending up in creeks and damaging the mangrove ecosystem. Major brands need to pay closer attention to how their products are disposed of and strictly follow Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). At the same time, consumers also have a responsibility to throw used packets into the dustbin,” said Dharmesh Barai, founder of Environment Life Foundation.
Health Activist Calls For Accountability
Chetan Kothari, a health activist, said that the discovery raises concerns about the improper disposal of packaged food products at a time when the FDA has intensified its action against unsafe and non-compliant food.
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“If products suspected to be unsafe are being dumped instead of being presented for inspection or disposed of through appropriate channels, it could complicate efforts to establish accountability,” said Kothari.
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