Tukaram Mundhe: 'We are not going overboard. We are following the due process'

In an exclusive interview, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner of Maharashtra, Tukaram Munde, addressed the regulatory action taken against restaurants operating within the ISKCON complex in Juhu, Mumbai, as well as railway catering vendors. Responding to public reactions regarding the suspension of licenses, Munde maintained that the department operates without bias toward any religion, culture, or institution, stating, "The issue here is food safety and standards, nothing less, nothing more." He clarified that FDA actions are based entirely on compliance with food safety legislation established since 2011. Munde detailed a comprehensive four-stage standing operating procedure implemented across the year to inspect raw materials, vendor kitchens, and food quality during festivals. Highlighting the department's enforcement over the past 100 days, he noted that over 12,000 food inspections and 2,300 drug sector visits were conducted, issuing thousands of improvement notices and suspending hundreds of non-compliant licenses to foster a culture of compliance and safeguard public health.

A panel discussion examined the enforcement actions and demolition drives taking place across Delhi following recent building-related tragedies. Panellists debated institutional accountability, focusing on the role and jurisdiction of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the Union Home Ministry, and the Delhi government. The conversation highlighted systemic gaps, including the acute shortage of university hostel accommodation that forces students into unregulated paying guest facilities, and past incidents such as building collapses, fires, and basement flooding. The role of local police in reporting illegal construction to civic authorities was also evaluated alongside NCRB data reflecting building collapse fatalities. Experts emphasised the urgent need for comprehensive safety audits, satellite and drone mapping, and classifying buildings into safe and unsafe categories to prevent recurring civic hazards and dismantle corrupt networks.

Following the building collapse in Delhi's Satya Niketan that claimed seven lives, including five students, authorities have launched demolition drives against unsafe and unauthorised structures across Satya Niketan, Uttam Nagar, Pandav Nagar, and Nehru Vihar. Police have arrested five people so far, including building owner Hariram Gupta, his family members, PG operator Sudhanshu, and labour contractor Sanoj. Additionally, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced stricter regulations for PG accommodations, including mandatory registration, rent caps, area-wise rent bans, a security deposit ceiling of three months' rent, mandatory CCTV cameras, and night guards for facilities housing over fifteen students.

In the aftermath of the building collapse involving the Hostel Days boys' hostel in Satya Niketan, female Delhi University students staying in an affiliated girls' PG face severe distress and harassment. With the owner arrested and the warden and caretaker absconding after turning off communication and disconnecting Wi-Fi, the residents have been left without essential management or assistance. Students report paying substantial security deposits and monthly rent of fifteen thousand rupees, yet they are being denied scheduled meals and asked to pay an additional four thousand rupees for food. Local religious institutions, including gurudwaras and temples, have stepped in to provide daily meals. Meanwhile, college faculty from Maitri College have provided temporary shelter in the college auditorium for stranded students. Faculty and students also revealed that PG owners in the area are refusing to refund deposits, denying media entry, and allegedly threatening occupants against reporting the unauthorised operations to authorities or police.