The "Tukaram Mundhe" effect is spiralling across the country with several states and districts taking action on restaurants and eateries over food safety violations and passing orders to shut them until they meet safety standards. In a similar action on October 14, a Domino's outlet in Fatehpur district was ordered to suspend operations after a food safety inspection found inadequate segregation between vegetarian and non-vegetarian food preparation, an official told PTI.
Assistant Commissioner of Food Safety and Security Virendra Singh Kushwaha said that the outlet in Tambeshwar Nagar could resume operations only after it rectified the deficiencies and corrective measures are proved satisfactory during a follow-up inspection.
The inspection took place late on Monday after a complaint was registered by a member of a right-wing group. When officials visited the eatery, they found that the outlet prepared and served both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food items. Although the outlet used separate utensils and equipment, the arrangements did not ensure adequate segregation, raising the risk of cross-contamination, Kushwaha said.
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The food safety department issued an improvement notice to the outlet manager under Section 32 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The outlet's operations will remain suspended until the required improvements are made and the management must submit a compliance report to the department before officials conduct a second inspection.
Fatehpur Superintendent of Police Abhimanyu Manglik told PTI that officials collected food samples. Police were deployed to maintain law and order, while the food safety department took action against the outlet.
Meanwhile in separate news, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently decided to launch the 'Eat Right' movement to promote food safety, improve eating habits and educate people about the food they consume, its commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said.
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The initiative will include programmes such as Eat Right Schools, Eat Right Places and Eat Right Worshipping Places, along with digital campaigns, to encourage people to make informed food choices. The commissioner said that the FDA had inspected around 15,000 to 16,000 establishments, with nearly half of them having major compliance deficiencies.
"Ultimately, it is not about regulation; it is about eating habits, what we eat, what we consume day in and day out, what our children eat and consume. We should know what to eat, how to eat and how much to eat," Mundhe said at the India Today Conclave Mumbai 2026.
He said the food and drug regulator would launch information, education and communication activities over the coming months to help people identify safe and standard food products and understand the importance of proper food handling.
Citing the example of refrigerators in households, Mundhe said many people might not know how to store different food items properly, which could lead to contamination and cross-contamination.
"These activities will take place in the next few months. I want it to be a people's movement, not just a government movement. Do participate, give suggestions, and we will act on them," he added.
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