Former Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration commissioner Mahesh Zagade has questioned the current stress on raids and license suspensions under the state’s food safety drive. He maintains that the Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006 emphasizes raising quality standards and taking preventive steps instead of measures that may generate fear among businesses.
Zagade, who led the FDA from 2011 to 2014, noted that the earlier Prevention of Food Adulteration Act of 1954 centered on raids to stop adulteration, a method he said sometimes allowed misconduct by officials. The 2006 law shifted priority toward improvement and early intervention, he said.
He recalled that during his term the department issued improvement notices first and avoided heavy publicity while helping outlets upgrade practices, which yielded results such as better conditions at Juhu Chowpatty.
Zagade warned that a raid-centered campaign could create false impressions about past enforcement and risk encouraging extortion or impersonation. He also cited a Pune court ruling that fined the FDA for continuing a suspension despite high compliance, suggesting the need to adjust the approach.
On notices to actors for pan masala advertisements, he said action should target manufacturers and broadcasters under the relevant section of the law, not only endorsers. He added that the statute seeks to protect public health rather than close establishments.
