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Maharashtra FDA orders closure of Blinkit dark store amid licence issues
Blinkit's Balewadi dark store ordered closed by Maharashtra FDA for lack of food licence and unhygienic conditions amid rising scrutiny of quick commerce platforms
Sharleen Dsouza New Delhi & Mumbai
Amid rising scrutiny of food safety standards maintained by quick commerce platforms, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has ordered Blinkit to shut down its Balewadi dark store in Pune, as the company has been operating it without a licence. Speaking to Business Standard, Suresh Annapurna, joint commissioner at Maharashtra FDA, Pune region, said, 'Blinkit had submitted some documents and we had asked them to modify some documents and submit them again.' He added that the company has been sent a letter asking them not to operate the dark store until the documents are submitted and a licence is granted. The FDA officials found that the dark store was storing, distributing and selling food items without the licence required under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. The facility not only lacked a licence but also operated in unhygienic conditions, violating food safety standards. Business Standard reached out to Blinkit, but the platform had not issued an official statement by press time. The development comes just a week after the same authority suspended the food business licence of quick commerce unicorn Zepto in Dharavi, Mumbai, citing non-compliance with food safety standards. During an inspection, the agency found fungal growth on food items, poor cold storage maintenance, no separation of expired stock, food stored on the floor, dirty and wet conditions, and items kept near stagnant water.
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