Shafaqna English– Tukaram Mundhe, a 51-year-old Indian food safety commissioner for Maharashtra state, has launched an aggressive crackdown on poor hygiene and unsafe food in Mumbai, conducting over 3,000 inspections since May.
His campaign has led to the suspension of permits for several major pizza chains, cricket clubs, hotels, and even court canteens—the latter inspected and shut down within hours after a judge questioned his selectivity. Mundhe, who views his role as protecting lives, has won widespread public support by addressing deep frustrations over India’s food safety standards.
His efforts come amid government data showing that about 20% of food samples tested since 2020 are unsafe or substandard, and nearly 8,000 licenses have been cancelled in three years. Experts describe the public response as “bottled-up anger” finally finding hope through Mundhe’s no-nonsense approach.
Source: Reuters