59 mins ago
Ganpati Mandals Seek Clarity on Maharashtra Food Safety Rules
Ganpati mandals serve mahaprasad, or food offered during Ganesh festivals.
New food-safety rules have made organisers concerned about how they should prepare this food.
Some smaller mandals say they cannot afford to hire professional contractors.
They want the authorities to explain whether such contractors are compulsory.
The mandals say they support safe food practices.
They have asked whether mahaprasad would have to stop if they cannot meet the requirements.
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration has introduced food-safety checks throughout the year.
During festivals, officials will inspect places and products that could be vulnerable to adulteration.
Ganpati mandals in Mumbai have asked authorities to clarify food-safety rules for mahaprasad.
The mandals say smaller organisers may struggle to afford reputed contractors if they are required.
The Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti wrote to authorities seeking clarification.
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration introduced year-round food-safety SOPs last week.
The SOP schedules festival-related enforcement to begin 21 days before an event and includes inspections of food businesses.
- Who
- Mumbai Ganpati mandals, the Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti, and the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration.
- What
- Ganpati mandals are seeking clarification about food-safety SOPs and contractor requirements for mahaprasad.
- Where
- Mumbai and across Maharashtra.
- When
- The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration introduced the year-round SOP last week; festival enforcement is to begin 21 days before an event.
- Why
- Mandals want to comply with food-safety measures but say smaller organisers may not be able to afford reputed contractors.
Ganpati Mandals
Food-Safety Authorities
Contractor requirements
Ganpati Mandals
Mandals support safe food but say smaller organisers cannot afford reputed contractors and want clear guidance on what to do.
Food-Safety Authorities
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration has introduced SOPs to strengthen food-safety monitoring, but the supplied reports do not state its specific response on whether contractors are mandatory.
Mahaprasad arrangements
Ganpati Mandals
Mandals want authorities to clarify whether mahaprasad must be stopped if organisers cannot meet the requirements.
Food-Safety Authorities
The authorities’ stated focus is enforcement against food-safety risks, including identifying vulnerable locations and products and inspecting food establishments.
Key facts
- Represented mandals
- The Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti says it represents around 12,000 public Ganesh mandals in Mumbai.
- Food-safety authority
- The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration introduced the new year-round SOP.
- Festival enforcement
- Enforcement activities related to festivals are scheduled to begin 21 days before an event.
- Planned inspections
- Officials will inspect manufacturers, mills, wholesale markets, storage facilities and other food establishments.
- Mandals' position
- The mandals say they support food-safety action but want financial constraints of smaller organisers considered.
- Main concern
- Organisers want to know whether hiring a reputed contractor is mandatory for mahaprasad.
Quotes
An unnamed Ganpati mandal committee representative
A committee representative discussing the financial difficulties faced by Ganpati mandal organisers.
“I agree 100 per cent that the action being taken by the department is correct. But our difficulty is we cannot appoint contractors because we do not have that much money. If a reputed contractor is mandatory, please tell us what we should do,”
businesstoday.in
“If the mahaprasad has to be stopped altogether, then tell us that. But, as far as I know, we have not received any answer yet,”
businesstoday.in
Sources
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