How are Mumbai societies preparing Ganpati prasad? Tukaram Mundhe wants to know

As Maharashtrians welcome Lord Ganesha into their homes, the state's food safety body, led by Tukaram Mundhe, plans to keep an eye on what they get served for Ganpati prasad — in society bhandaras as well we other community food-distribution programmes.

Ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi, housing societies in Vasai-Virar and Mumbai started circulating messages, asking residents to inform the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before organising Ganpati mahaprasad, bhandara, and other such programmes involving food — including those held within society premises — and ensure the caterer holds an FSSAI licence.

An FDA official confirmed that the food safety body’s directions on Ganpati prasad and bhandara are based on the department’s festival SOPs issued on September 3. As directed, residential societies in Vasai-Virar and Andheri must inform the FDA at least seven days before an event.

The advisory has drawn attention because it applies not only to large public gatherings but also to community meals organised within housing societies. The messages state that distributing prasad to 100–200 residents would still qualify as “collective food distribution”.

The FDA directive requires the organisers to submit a letter to the designated officer or food safety officer in their area at least seven days before the event. The letter should have the programme date, the anticipated number of people, and the caterer’s name and FSSAI number.

Where residents prepare the food themselves, the FDA advises them to obtain temporary FSSAI registration through the Food Safety Compliance System (FoSCoS) portal. They also ask organisers to retain bills for ingredients such as oil, ghee, paneer and groceries.

For food-safety precautions, the FDA makes it mandatory for those preparing food to use caps, masks, gloves and aprons; RO water for drinking and cooking; and food storage in steel or food-grade containers. They also ask organisers to display a Food Safety Connect QR code.

The directives also ask residents to approach the Palghar FDA office, while the Andheri version refers them to the Food Safety Officer of the relevant BMC ward. Both suggest submitting a simple letter on the society’s letterhead and obtaining an acknowledgement.

Any violation of the directives to ensure food safety could invite a case and a fine ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 1 lakh. However, it is not confirmed whether the precise statutory provision and the penalty apply to every instance of non-intimation or only to violations.