NAVI MUMBAI: Tired of having to commute to Thane's Wagle Estate office of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to register their business, apply for licences or renew documents under the food safety rules , traders dealing in food and drug items are demanding an FDA office in the city.
Navi Mumbai has been a major contributor in terms of revenue collection due to the revenue generated by the APMC market. But FDA has failed to tap its major resource, feel traders, owing to absence of an office in the city. Currently, four FDA assistant commissioners (three of them from food and one from drug) are discharging their duties without a proper office address and 10 more food safety officers are struggling to find space in the city from where they could operate.
"An FDA office in a city having thousands of traders is the need of the hour. I have written to all concerned ministers and bureaucrats for setting up a separate FDA office in Navi Mumbai, but yet to receive a reply," said Manohar Totlani, a trader from APMC. "Without an FDA office here, we often skip the renewal dates and that invites a penalty and other charges," said another trader, Keshav Shetty.
Currently, Navi Mumbai is an important city in terms of volume of business, considering the presence of APMC, which supplies a number of staples to Mumbai, Thane and Raigad. Out of 10 FDA zones in Thane district, Navi Mumbai has three zones while its neighbouring Thane has only one.
While Thane is headed by an assistant commissioner, Navi Mumbai is covered by three for food related issues. One assistant commissioner has been assigned to the drugs wing.
All 14 officers are now being accommodated in the chaotic Thane office.
"The FDA wing is pursuing NMMC for allotment ofa 10,000 feet area in Vashi or Turbhe at a central location. Mayor Sagar Naik has assured to provide us with an appropriate place. We hope the ordeal of the 14 officers, who have to be in the city for work but go back daily to Thane to report, is resolved shortly. This will benefit the traders too," said S K Shere, joint commissioner , Konkan Division. When asked civic sources said "We have offered them a 4,000 square feet area in APMC for the time being."
Navi Mumbai has been a major contributor in terms of revenue collection due to the revenue generated by the APMC market. But FDA has failed to tap its major resource, feel traders, owing to absence of an office in the city. Currently, four FDA assistant commissioners (three of them from food and one from drug) are discharging their duties without a proper office address and 10 more food safety officers are struggling to find space in the city from where they could operate.
"An FDA office in a city having thousands of traders is the need of the hour. I have written to all concerned ministers and bureaucrats for setting up a separate FDA office in Navi Mumbai, but yet to receive a reply," said Manohar Totlani, a trader from APMC. "Without an FDA office here, we often skip the renewal dates and that invites a penalty and other charges," said another trader, Keshav Shetty.
Currently, Navi Mumbai is an important city in terms of volume of business, considering the presence of APMC, which supplies a number of staples to Mumbai, Thane and Raigad. Out of 10 FDA zones in Thane district, Navi Mumbai has three zones while its neighbouring Thane has only one.
While Thane is headed by an assistant commissioner, Navi Mumbai is covered by three for food related issues. One assistant commissioner has been assigned to the drugs wing.
All 14 officers are now being accommodated in the chaotic Thane office.
"The FDA wing is pursuing NMMC for allotment ofa 10,000 feet area in Vashi or Turbhe at a central location. Mayor Sagar Naik has assured to provide us with an appropriate place. We hope the ordeal of the 14 officers, who have to be in the city for work but go back daily to Thane to report, is resolved shortly. This will benefit the traders too," said S K Shere, joint commissioner , Konkan Division. When asked civic sources said "We have offered them a 4,000 square feet area in APMC for the time being."
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