As many as 71% of consumers surveyed in Mumbai said chemists never or rarely refused to sell medicines without a doctor’s prescription, compared with 64% nationally, according to a LocalCircles survey published on September 18, 2026. The findings come as the Centre has proposed mandatory CCTV surveillance at medical stores selling prescription drugs, and the Maharashtra FDA has intensified enforcement against retailers.

The Mumbai survey by LocalCircles, which received more than 20,000 responses across its questions, also found that only 28% of respondents said they were assisted by a qualified pharmacist most of the time or always, while 21% said they were assisted by someone who was not a qualified pharmacist.

On prescription checks, 36% of 3,697 Mumbai respondents said chemists never refused to give them medicines without a prescription and another 35% said they did so very rarely. Only 9% said chemists refused such sales most of the time and 5% said they always did so.

The gap was also visible in home deliveries. Of 3,122 respondents, 18% said their chemist never demanded a doctor’s prescription during ordering or delivery and 40% said this happened very rarely. Only 23% said a prescription was sought most of the time or always.

The survey showed that neighbourhood chemists remain the main source of medicines in Mumbai. Of 3,012 respondents, 57% said they visited or sent someone to a local chemist, while 26% ordered from their chemist through phone calls or WhatsApp for home delivery. Only 17% primarily used e-pharmacy apps.

The national survey, published a day earlier on September 17, 2026, showed similar, though somewhat lower, levels of reported non-compliance. Across India, 64% of consumers surveyed said their chemist never or rarely insisted on a doctor’s prescription, while only 15% said chemists did so most of the time or always. Only 31% said they were assisted by a qualified pharmacist most of the time or always, while 13% said the person assisting them was not qualified.

The nationwide survey received more than 106,000 responses from consumers across 327 districts. It also found that 41% said chemists never or rarely sought prescriptions during home delivery, compared with 58% in Mumbai.

The findings come as the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has floated draft amendments to the Drugs Rules, 1945, proposing mandatory CCTV surveillance at medical stores supplying medicines sold on a registered medical practitioner’s prescription.

The draft, issued through Gazette notification G.S.R. 791(E) dated September 8, proposes inserting a new sub-rule after Rule 65(2). It states that retail supply of prescription medicines should take place under CCTV surveillance installed and maintained at the premises. The proposal is aimed at strengthening oversight of the sale of Schedule H, H1 and X drugs and curbing sales without valid prescriptions. The government has invited objections and suggestions before finalising the amendment.

The proposed rule comes amid a sharper enforcement drive by the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration. Between June and August 2026, the FDA inspected 2,902 drug establishments, including 2,295 sales establishments and 607 manufacturing units, and initiated action against 880 licensees.

Of these, 677 licences were suspended, and 203 were cancelled, with 740 of the 880 actions involving retailers and wholesalers. During the same three-month period, the FDA conducted 104 search-and-seizure operations, seized illegal drugs and cosmetics worth Rs 11.41 crore, registered 20 FIRs and made 21 arrests.

FDA inspectors flagged several of the same issues reflected in the consumer survey, including the sale of medicines without registered pharmacist supervision, dispensing prescription medicines without valid prescriptions, incomplete Schedule H1 records and sales without proper invoices. Other violations included expired medicines being kept in sale stock and inadequate temperature controls for products such as insulin and vaccines.

The Mumbai survey also found billing gaps. While 76% said they generally received a printed GST invoice and 3% received a manually prepared GST bill, 20% effectively did not receive a proper GST bill.

LocalCircles said the Mumbai findings would be shared with the Maharashtra FDA, Union Health Ministry and CDSCO, and called for stricter verification of registered pharmacists, prescription checks for phone and WhatsApp deliveries and better documentation of medicine sales. 

Published – September 19, 2026 10:00 am IST

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seized nearly 29 tonnes of food products and raw materials worth ₹20.48 lakh from 11 farsan and snack-manufacturing establishments in Thane after inspections allegedly found units operating without valid licences and food being prepared amid sewage, pest infestation and other severely unhygienic conditions.

The FDA has issued stop-work orders and suspended the licences or registrations of all 11 establishments located at Bhaskar Compound in the Shil-Diwa Road area of Khardi village, the regulator said in a statement on September 10.

FDA officials conducted a surprise raid on September 9 on establishments manufacturing and selling farsan, wafers, chivda, namkeen and other food products.

During the inspections, officials found stocks of potato wafers, farali chivda, spicy wafers, black pepper wafers, mixed farsan, sev, bhakarwadi, diet chivda, schezwan sticks and banana chips, along with raw materials including maida, besan, pea flour and palm oil. Used edible oil was also found at the premises.

According to the FDA, some of the establishments were operating without obtaining the mandatory valid food licence under the Food Safety and Standards Act.

Inspectors also allegedly found production-area floors covered with accumulated oil and other residues, making them dirty and sticky, while roofs and walls in several units consisted of temporary shed sheets. Parts of the production areas were open to the external environment.

The regulator said inadequate wastewater drainage had resulted in sewage accumulating outside the establishments, causing foul and musty odours in and around the premises.

Cockroaches and rodents were allegedly found inside and around some units, while cows, dogs and cats frequently moved around immediately outside the premises. The surrounding areas were also described by the FDA as extremely dirty and unhygienic.

Workers were allegedly preparing food in dirty clothes without wearing aprons, gloves or caps. The FDA also found that labels on packaged food products did not comply with applicable labelling regulations.

The 11 establishments against which action was taken were Rajesh Lalji Gupta’s establishment, Rahul Foods, Krishna Banana Chips, Komal Wafers, Chaska Maska Foods, Om Sai Traders Farsan, Harish Chaska Food, Dharmraj Fruit Supply, Antima Farsan and Wafers, Nitya Farsan and Chakli, and Vimal Namkeen.

In all, officials seized 28,955 kg of raw materials and finished food products and 56 litres of edible oil, collectively valued at ₹20,48,801.50.

The FDA said the stock was seized under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, on suspicion of adulteration and inferior quality, as well as because the food was allegedly being produced in conditions that could make it unsafe for human consumption.

The Thane raid formed part of a wider FDA enforcement drive against food establishments across Maharashtra. Separately, the regulator said licences or registrations of 10 establishments were suspended — six in Mumbai, one in the Konkan division, two in the Pune division and one in the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division.

In Mumbai, inspections found a range of alleged violations involving sanitation, pest control, storage and food-handling practices.

At Shri Gajanan Vadapav Snacks Center in Kanjurmarg West, inspected on September 8, the FDA alleged that temperature monitoring was not being carried out regularly despite heating, cooling and refrigeration facilities being available. It also found inadequate pest-proofing and said vadapav was being prepared in an open kitchen without a door. Some equipment and containers were also allegedly made of materials unsuitable for food contact.

At Samarth Sweets in Jogeshwari East, which was inspected following a complaint, officials found open drains and garbage near the entrance. The FDA said the production area lacked a proper linear workflow separating raw materials, processing and packing, creating a risk of cross-contamination. Clothes, bedding and personal belongings were also allegedly stored inside the production area.

At Ekvira Zunka Bhakar Kendra in Mulund East, officials allegedly found an extremely cramped workspace, inadequate ventilation, open garbage bins and a food-preparation area exposed to the outside environment. Separate storage arrangements for food and non-food items were also lacking.

Manisha Sweets, also in Mulund East, was found operating a production unit in what the FDA described as an open and unhygienic space at the rear of the premises. The ceiling allegedly had accumulated layers of oil and soot, ventilation was inadequate, and the production area was insufficiently protected from pest entry.

At Nawab Seekh Corner, inspectors allegedly found ants in stored semolina, uncovered raw meat, improper segregation of raw, cooked and ready-to-eat food, openly stored mint and other ingredients, and dirty and disorganised refrigerators and food-storage areas. The FDA also cited inadequate cleaning and sanitisation of equipment and ineffective implementation of first-in-first-out and first-expiry-first-out systems.

At Hotel Ashwin, inspected on September 9, officials cited deficiencies in food storage and refrigeration, dirty and damaged floors and walls, inadequate ventilation and insufficient pest-proofing.

The FDA also cited poor cleaning and sanitisation, accumulated food waste and garbage, pest activity and inadequate pest-control records at Jay Maharashtra Masala Dosa Corner.

Elsewhere in the State, the regulator also took action against establishments including Hotel Shahi near Karad, Saber Restaurant in Lonavala and Sairat Biryani in Pune’s Koregaon Park for alleged violations of licence conditions and hygiene requirements.

Meanwhile, at Shelke Mama Dhaba Restaurant in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, the FDA said deficiencies identified during an earlier inspection remained unaddressed when officials conducted a re-inspection on September 8.

The restaurant was first inspected on July 27 and issued an improvement notice on July 30. The FDA said it was initiating further action under the Food Safety and Standards Act after the shortcomings remained during the latest inspection.

The enforcement action comes ahead of the festive season, during which the FDA has also introduced advance-intimation requirements for large-scale food distribution events.

Organisers of events involving mahaprasad, annachhatra, langar, bhandara and similar mass food distribution during festivals, religious gatherings, fairs and urs have been asked to submit the “Mass Food Distribution Advance Notice Form” at least seven days before the event when food is prepared or distributed through licensed or registered caterers or kitchens.

The FDA said food operators at such events must ensure cleanliness, safe water supply, proper temperature control, separation of raw and cooked food, personal hygiene among food handlers and safe food storage.

Based on the advance notices, officials will undertake risk-based inspections, collect samples and initiate immediate enforcement action where required.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Maharashtra Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe during an interview with PTI, in Mumbai. File
| Photo Credit: PTI

This image is used for representational purpose only.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Tukaram Mundhe — the Commissioner of Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration— is leading a massive crackdown against food and drug adulteration in the State. Several establishments have been raided, shut down, and issued show cause notices over the last few months, with seizures and police complaints following. Many of these have enjoyed an iconic status for generations.

Mr. Mundhe, however, says he wouldn’t relent till he ensures safe food and drugs for everyone in the State. While the Bombay High Court cautioned him against ‘using a sword to kill a mosquito’, several have lauded his effort.

Who is Tukaram Mundhe?

Born into a poor agricultural family in Beed in Maharashtra’s developmentally backlogged region of Marathwada, Mr. Mundhe says he grew up witnessing the consequences of the government’s failure to deliver on its welfare promises. Agricultural distress and debt were a permanent feature of his life. He worked on his family’s subsistence farm and sold vegetables alongside his parents at the weekly market. He would wake up at 2 a.m. to water the crops by hand. Growing up in a mud-brick house, he saw his family’s dependence on monsoon and the impact of scarcity of water. He walked barefoot to his local Zilla Parishad school.

He says he watched his family carry burdens imposed by the system and it inspired him to enter the administrative services.

He decided to enter the system, not to belong to it, but to change it, he says.

With no coaching academy, no network, no family precedence in public service, Mr. Mundhe cleared the UPSC exams in 2005 and ranked 20th nationally. He was allotted the home cadre of Maharashtra.

Education

Mr. Mundhe completed his bachelor’s degree from Government College of Arts and Science in Aurangabad (now Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar) in 1996. In 1998, he completed his MA in Political Science from Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University.

He continued his academic pursuits after joining the civil services, with a particular interest in fiscal policy and financial analysis. He has completed courses in leadership, financial market regulation, tax analysis and revenue forecasting, fiscal policy and macroeconomic management, and disaster management.

Awards and transfers

Over more than two decades of service, Mr. Mundhe has received several recognitions and awards for his administrative work. His approach, however, has also made him unpopular in the system. He has been transferred 25 times in 21 years of service, and has not completed a full tenure in any of his postings. An IAS officer typically completes a tenure of around three years in a posting, while Mr. Mundhe has frequently been transferred and, at times, kept without a posting.

He has received recognition for his work in water conservation, urban governance, public health, transport innovation and social inclusion. He received the Maharashtra government’s Best Collector Award for all-round excellence in district governance in 2015-16 and the National Award for Social Justice and Empowerment from the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

He was also referred to as the “waterman of Maharashtra” for his work in water conservation. The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation received the SKOCH Order of Merit for its e-toilets and seismic retrofitting initiatives during his tenure as Municipal Commissioner. In 2017, he received the National Award for the Best Integrated Traffic Management System.

Guiding principles

Early in his career, Mr. Mundhe developed a three-point framework that he says has guided his decisions ever since: every action must be legal, morally correct and in the public interest. “If any two conditions are met — including legality — I act. There is no hesitation, no gradual approach, no negotiation with what is wrong simply because it is powerful,” he says.

In his first field posting, he took on the sand mafia and received death threats. In Solapur, the sand mafia allegedly attempted to physically eliminate him. He returned to work the next day and continued with the same programme. At the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML), he sacked 158 contract drivers for chronic absenteeism in 2017-18. The decision triggered opposition from unions and drew a strong political reaction. When he took over as Health Commissioner in 2022, he ordered midnight inspections at Primary Health Centres, linked salaries to biometric attendance and initiated action against doctors allegedly running private clinics during government working hours. He was transferred in 2023.

During his tenure as Municipal Commissioner of Navi Mumbai in 2016, three multi-crore projects had already been approved, including a ₹20-crore marble statue and a ₹163-crore solar project at Morbe Dam. Mr. Mundhe cancelled both, calling them unnecessary, and redirected the funds towards making the city more accessible to persons with disabilities and improving civic infrastructure.

His “Walk with the Commissioner” initiative also became popular. Every Sunday, he would go for a morning walk and invite citizens to join him, giving them an opportunity to raise complaints, suggestions and concerns directly with him. The initiative, however, also brought him into conflict with elected representatives. Corporators across political parties called a bandh against him, while citizens launched an online petition that garnered more than 6,000 signatures and approached the Chief Minister seeking to prevent his transfer. He was moved out in 2017.

Looking back, Mr. Mundhe says he is prepared to work with full capacity in whatever role the government assigns him. In his current posting at the FDA, he is unsure whether he will complete the standard three-year tenure, but says he already has a long wishlist for cleaning up the system.

Published – August 15, 2026 07:06 pm IST

Food and Drugs Authority commissioner Tukaram Mundhe.
| Photo Credit: Emmanual Yogini

Image for representational purposes only. File
| Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday (August 5, 2026) imposed a one-year ban on the production, processing, storage, transportation, distribution and sale of ‘analogue/non-dairy paneer’. The FDA’s order was issued under Sections 18, 29, and 30(2) (a) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

This is part of the FDA’s enforcement campaign across the State in the last two months, from May 25, 2026, to July 31, 2026, with its top priority being food safety, drug quality and consumer protection.

According to the FDA’s press note, the action was taken after paneer samples were collected from various districts in the State and analysed at notified food laboratories, which made it clear that the analogue/non-dairy paneer was being manufactured from unauthorised, sub-standard, and non-dairy ingredients like extraneous vegetable fat in place of natural milk fat in many samples and was being sold in the State in growing volumes under the name of paneer, thereby defrauding consumers.

Out of 308 samples that were analysed, 109 samples (35.4%) were compliant, 79 of them were sub-standard, and 30 were unsafe. The use of analogue paneer is completely prohibited in hotels, restaurants, caterers, cloud kitchens and other food service establishments.

FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said that “it is the constitutional and legal right of every citizen of Maharashtra to receive safe, pure and quality food”. “No one who earns profit by defrauding consumers and gambles with the health of citizens will be given a place in Maharashtra. While extending full protection to honest industry, a zero tolerance policy will be strictly implemented against those who sell sub-standard, misleading and unsafe food. Safe food is not merely the enforcement of law. It is the moral and constitutional commitment of the government towards society,” Mr. Mundhe said.

Action has also been taken against illegal gutka, flavoured tobacco and prohibited products as well. The FDA has moved to suspend and cancel licenses of hotels, restaurants, caterers and food businesses that violate sanitation and food safety rules.

As part of FDA’s enforcement campaign, it has inspected 3,137 establishments, issued 764 improvement notices, made 165 license suspensions, filed 532 FIRs and arrested 714 people in connection. Concerning prohibited articles (gutkha, flavoured tobacco), 676 establishments were inspected, and 658 prohibited articles were found.

519 FIRs were filed, 701 arrests were made, and 407 establishments were sealed. 78 vehicles worth ₹6.60 crore were also seized in connection with this. Konkan and Nashik account for the largest seizure values at ₹1.80 crore and ₹3.49 crore respectively.

Concerning milk products, 476 inspections were made, 196 improvement notices were sent, 16 establishments were suspended, 1,49,775 kg of milk products were seized worth ₹3.82 crore, and two FIRs were filed. Konkan alone accounts for ₹2.48 crore of milk product seizures, and 65% of the State total. Other products like edible oil, amla, laddu, khoa, bakery, candy, jaggery, ghee, dates, ice cream and kulfi, frozen dessert, and spices were also inspected. 608 establishments were inspected, and 25,26,822 kg of product were seized worth ₹36.00 crore.

The FDA press release notes that the Supreme Court has flagged milk adulteration as a serious public health danger and directed states to act. FSSAI Central Advisory Committee has recommended a strict policy on Analogue in Dairy Context products

The FDA has effectively enforced this ban and directed all Joint Commissioners (Food), Assistant Commissioners (Food), Designated Officers and Food Safety Officers in the State to conduct a special inspection drive. Detailed inspections will be carried out at production centres, warehouses, transport systems, wholesale markets, retail outlets and food service establishments, and samples of suspect products will be collected. If necessary, goods will be seized and destroyed, and legal action will be taken against offenders. Any violation by any person, institution or food business operator will be dealt with strictly under the penal provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

The FDA has launched a website which is a multilingual and AI-enabled online grievance redressal system for citizens to file complaints regarding food or medicines. It provides automated complaint registration and immediate categorisation to the concerned authorities, automated escalation and complete tracking. One can access the FDA Complaint Portal here – https://complaints.mahafda.in

Published – August 06, 2026 04:14 am IST

Following a crackdown by Maharashtra’s Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), fast food giant McDonald’s has assured customers that it only uses “genuine, high-quality cheese” in its products. The FDA accused McDonald’s of deceptive practices related to the use of cheese substitutes in its items. It suspended the licence of a McDonald’s outlet in Ahmednagar, saying that its investigation found that the fast food chain was using cheese analogues or proprietary foods instead of cheese. 

“We got some complaints and feedback from customers that McDonald’s and other food chains should declare the ingredients in their food items in a proper manner on menu cards and display boards,” the agency’s Commissioner, Abhimanyu Kale, told NDTV Profit on Friday.

“In our inspection, we found out they were using cheese analogues or proprietary foods instead of cheese. After observations, the outlets were closed by inspectors,” Mr Kale added. 

The agency, which conducted a month-long investigation last year, found that McDonald’s was using cheaper cheese substitutes like vegetable oil in burgers and nuggets. It accused the fast food chain of using cheese alternatives in several items without proper labelling, thereby misleading customers into thinking they were eating real cheese. The FDA, therefore, suspended the license of the Ahmednagar outlet and demanded that it disclose the correct ingredients in its menus and display boards as per Food Safety and Standards Authority India norms. 

Also Read | French Dethroned, Survey Finds This Accent Now The Sexiest

This prompted the fast food chain to remove the term “cheese” from various products. Westlife Foodworld Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hardcastle Restaurants Private Limited and operator of McDonald’s chains in West and South India, also released a statement in response to the report.

“Only genuine, high-quality cheese is used in all our cheese-containing products,” Westlife said. “We are actively engaging with the competent authorities on this issue and awaiting their final clarification,” the McDonald’s operator said.

“We have always been adhering to stringent food standards and are fully compliant with all applicable food laws. Our commitment to transparency in our ingredients and dedication to providing delicious, high-quality meals to our customers remains unwavering,” the statement added. 

Notably, this incident has also prompted the FDA to consider investigating other fast-food chains for similar practices. In a statement, Mr Kale said that the FDA will continue inspections of food outlets to ensure they comply with regulatory guidelines in the interest of customers. If necessary, the state authorities will communicate with the FSSAI for any nationwide action, he said.