"Our target - Safe & hygienic food by May 1, 2015"

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Maharashtra, the body responsible for the enforcement of food safety standards in the state, sometime back saw Dr Purushottam Bhapkar taking over as the commissioner.

In the four months that he has been at the helm, a number of raids have been carried out across the state by food safety officers (FSOs), and several complaints have been lodged against food business operators (FBOs) found flouting the rules.

In an interaction with Harcha Bhaskar, Dr Bhapkar, spoke about the challenges faced by the state FDA, such as adulterated and unsafe milk menace and manpower crunch in the organisation.Excerpts:

Its three years since the Food Safety and Standards Regulations (FSSR), 2011, were implemented, but food safety in Maharashtra is unsatisfactory, as is evidenced by the complaints of adulteration and lack of hygiene. How are you ensuring better compliance? 

FDA Maharashtra is involved in the implementation of FSSR, 2011, and maintaining food safety and hygiene. 

A number of campaigns have been launched and raids carried out by FDA to curb adulteration and maintain the hygiene of food materials. 

During the Diwali raid this year, about 1,695 samples of food, made for the festival, and goods worth Rs 1,51,62,077 were seized and tested across the state.

The state FDA has upped vigilance, and is planning to carry out regular raids to make FBOs more serious about the implementation of the food safety standards.

In fact, we have made a new arrangement, wherein an FSO can raid any establishment in any area at any time, irrespective of whether it has been allocated to him or not.

Maharashtra has always been at par with other states, but there is scope for improvement.

We are also planning to undertake a massive campaign, keeping two perspectives in mind. These are food safety and food literacy. 

While the former is for FBOs, the latter is for consumers. We would impart training and guidance to FBOs about the various food safety regulations and how to comply with the same, and educate the consumers about various kinds of adulteration and their hazards, how to tackle the same, and how to register complaints.

We have set ourselves a target - to provide the citizens of the state safe and hygienic food, which is one of their basic rights. We hope to achieve it by May 1, 2015 (observed as Maharashtra Day). 

The infrastructure, including manpower and testing laboratories, is not upto the mark. How do you intend to tackle this issue? 

FDA Maharashtra operates its own food testing laboratory in Mumbai.

Moreover, there are 22 National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories- (NABL) accredited laboratories, 10 state public health labs, and one lab set up by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). 

In government labs, testing and sampling is undertaken for a nominal fee of Rs 3,000, as stipulated by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

What is the current status of licensing and registration in Maharashtra? Would the state be able to achieve the licensing and registration target by the 2015 deadline?

Online licensing and registration is underway throughout Maharashtra. About 1,69,161 licences have been issued and 5,90,855 establishments have been registered all over the state in the last three years. Fees amounting to Rs 133 core have been collected so far.

What steps have been taken for speedy registration and licensing? 

Online registration and licensing is a Maharashtra-wide initiative to meet the given deadline.

What action would be taken against FBOs who fail to meet the deadline?

It is the domain of FSSAI, the country’s apex food regulator, based in New Delhi. In accordance with the Centre’s directions, action would be taken against the offenders who haven’t applied for licences and registered within the stipulated deadline.

The labelling of imported foods, piling up of stocks of imported foods and product approval are crucial issues that FSSAI is grappling with. In this regard, what challenges is Maharashtra FDA facing?

These are matters pertaining to FSSAI. FDA Maharashtra is not involved in issues related to the import and approval of food products. 

FSSAI has authorised officers to look into these matters at its headquarters in the capital.

A lot is being said about the functioning of FSSAI and the state FDA/FDCA. What do you think should be done at the state level to ensure better food safety in India?

FDA Maharashtra is facing difficulties in FDA in enforcing food safety due to the lack of manpower, technology, logistics and infrastructure.

Recently, there were vacancies in the state FDA for 265 FSOs, 62 designated officers (DOs) and eight joint commissioners (JCs) (food). 

One post of JC (food), 22 posts of DO and 77 posts of FSO are still vacant. For this, we have approached the Maharashtra Public Service Commission, which would be recruiting officers shortly.

What kind of cooperation do you expect from FBOs to ensure better food safety in the state?

We are expecting the involvement of various bodies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) concerned with FBOs with respect to licencing and registration.

With this chain network, we would reach every corner of the state and impart training and education about food safety hygiene to the FBO, and the ill-effects of adulteration to the consumers. This, in turn, would ensure that the rules and regulations are complied with. 

Currently, there is a ban on tobacco and gutkha in the state under the FSSR, 2011. However, people continue to sell it illegally. What steps is FDA taking to overcome this menace?

Since 2012, when the gutkha and tobacco ban came into effect, FDA Maharashtra has seized gutkha and allied products worth Rs 44.33 crore.

So far, about 1,078 first information reports (FIR) have being lodged against the accused across the state. These cases would be handled strictly to bring law and order in the state.

What challenges is FDA Maharashtra currently facing with regard to food safety? What steps are being taken to overcome them?

Milk adulteration

Milk adulteration is one of the major issues we are facing. In the coming months, FDA Maharashtra would be making plans to curb rising milk adulteration and the sale of unhygienic products. 

Talks are underway with several NGOs and consumer organisations, such as Mumbai Grahak Panchayat, who would be engaging with FDA Maharashtra in initiatives to stop milk adulteration.