While the world's attention remains riveted at the reported safety standard violations by instant noodles brand Maggi, Delhiites have a far serious reason to worry. In the absence of a full strength inspection force, the citizens are totally clueless as to how hygienic all their food items really are.
There are 32 sanctioned posts of food safety officers, out of which 20 posts have been lying vacant for more than a year now. A food safety officer assists the designated officer in all matters related to field inspections, including lifting of samples and instituting prosecution proceedings against defaulters in a court of law.
Not just that. About 70 per cent of posts of food analysts - who test samples in labs and prepare reports - have also remained vacant for a year. What it basically means is this: It's not just Maggi. You could be eating a lot of other unhealthy food items too, and are blissfully unaware of it because the government hasn't deployed enough number of food inspectors.
About 60 per cent of food inspectors' posts in the food safety department have remained vacant in the Capital. This has come as a major blow to inspections, lifting of samples and prosecution of offenders. The existing inspectors are assigned other jobs too, making them ignore their primary function.
"These posts have been lying vacant for more than a year now. We have escalated the matter to Delhi government and new people are likely to be hired soon. Such posts should not remain vacant for long as these officers have a direct link to citizen's health," KK Jindal, commissioner, department of food safety, told Mail Today.
The government's food and drug department keeps vigil on the market by way of surprise inspections and raids on food establishments, besides drawing samples of food articles that can be adulterated, substandard or misbranded. On an average, it receives 125 food samples a month for testing. In 2014-2015, the department sent 1,480 samples of various food items for testing.
There are 11 districts in the Capital, for which there are 12 food safety officers. Interestingly, apart from conducting regular inspections, these food officers have to perform other duties too. "At least two food officers are deployed on VIP duty every month. They have to look after court cases too," Jindal added.
As per the official process, the food department first receives a complaint about an adulterated food item. The report is then marked to the designated district officer and he, along with a food safety officer, visits the shop to collect samples. These samples are then sent for testing to a food analyst, who sends the report to the department concerned.
A lot on plate
Due to the posts lying vacant, the overall process gets hampered, health department sources said. "As nearly 70 per cent of the food analysts' posts are lying vacant, the lab testing process - which should ideally take 3-4 days - takes 15 to 20 days," a health official told Mail Today.
Due to the large number of food business operators in Delhi, the role and availability of such officers is important. "There are times when complaints keep pending for a month as the department waits for the lab reports," the official added.
The department also carries out awareness campaigns for the consumers and endeavours to educate food business operators for enabling them to comply with food safety management systems as prescribed under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
The Act is meant to consolidate the laws relating to food and to establish the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) for laying down science-based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe food for human consumption.
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