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Shortage of personnel plagues FDA in Maharashtra

Amidst the raging controversy of unsafe Maggi noodles, it is pertinent to note that the city has a rickety Food and Drug Administration (FDA) department, in which up to 70% posts of officials are lying vacant since the past three years.

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Amidst the raging controversy of unsafe Maggi noodles, it is pertinent to note that the city has a rickety Food and Drug Administration (FDA) department, in which up to 70% posts of officials are lying vacant since the past three years.

For a humungous population of 1.19 crore in the city, there are only 16 food safety officers (FSOs). The total sanctioned posts for FSOs in Mumbai are 57, of which 41 posts are lying vacant. "70% of the posts have not been filled since over three years," said a senior FDA official.

Last week, the strength of FSOs in the city reduced, after three of the 19 FSOs were transferred out of Mumbai, leaving the city struggling to manage with only 16 of them. "Moreover, two of the 16 FSOs are on long term maternity leave. We have only 13 FSOs working currently," the official added.

The duties of the FSO involve conducting random checks on food business operators and vendors to collect samples of food products like oil, tea, milk, packaged food and cooked/uncooked food. They have to submit samples of the food to the laboratories for testing and monitor if there are any violations samples in contravention to the Food Standards and Safety Act, 2011.

Every month, one FSO has to collect five food samples and conduct 10 inspections of Food Business Operators in their area.

In the entire state of Maharashtra, there are 265 sanctioned posts for FSOs, of which nearly 30% (77 posts) are lying vacant since three years. "The incumbent FSOs are overworked. They work over 12 hours a day ensuring that samples are collected and tested as well as prosecutions are filed," said Suresh Annapure, joint commissioner (food), state FDA.

Close to 50% of assistant commissioner level posts are lying vacant in Maharashtra. "Of the 65 sanctioned posts for Assistant Commissioners, 31 have not been filled despite multiple proposals to the state government for filling them," said the official.

Apart from shortage of personnel, state FDA has only four mobile vans, of which one is in Mumbai. "Transportation for officials becomes a huge issue. How are officials expected to do field work with only one van available at their disposal? They have to travel in public transport for inspections and collection of samples," added the senior official.

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