Nashik: The Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (MACCIA) has urged the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) not to publicly name or photograph traders merely on the basis of preliminary inspections or raids, before any offence is legally established. The chamber clarified that it fully supports strict legal action against those found adulterating food products or violating the law, but said premature publicity can seriously damage the social and business reputation of traders who may have been conducting their businesses honestly for years.
A delegation comprising MACCIA Branch Co-Chairperson Dipali Chandak, District Coordinator Bhavesh Manek, FMCG Committee Chairman and Nashik Grain Wholesale Grocery Association President Praful Sancheti, and executive members Rajesh Malpure, Mithila Kapadnis, Ashutosh Gaikwad, Sandeep Somvanshi, Mahavir Khatod and Rajesh Waghchaure met FDA Assistant Director Mangesh Mane and submitted a detailed memorandum.
The chamber pointed out that a raid or collection of samples during an inspection and the actual establishment of an offence are legally two different stages. It said reports stating that the FDA has raided a particular shop are sometimes published in the media or circulated on social media even before laboratory reports or further legal procedures are completed, creating misconceptions among consumers and causing financial and mental distress to traders.
The chamber demanded that such reports clearly state that samples have only been sent for testing and that further legal action will depend on the final laboratory findings. It also urged that the identity of a trader should not be disclosed until the offence is legally established. If a trader is subsequently found innocent, the chamber said, the clarification should also receive equally prominent and wide publicity so that the trader's damaged reputation can be restored.
FDA Assistant Director Mangesh Mane responded positively to the memorandum and assured the delegation that appropriate care would be taken, and that action would be fair and based on facts. He also appealed to traders to cooperate with the administration and said that an awareness seminar would soon be organised for traders.
The chamber stressed that protecting public health is as important as preserving trust between genuine traders and consumers, and appealed to the FDA, media organisations and social media users to handle such matters with sensitivity. It said that while a trader may take years to build a reputation, an incomplete or incorrectly presented report can damage it within hours.
