FDA has just 10 officers to ensure food safety of over 60L people

Nashik: While food articles are on sale in every lane and bylane, the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has just 10 food safety officers for the entire district to ensure that these food items are not sub-standard and are safe for consumption. 

While all there are vacant post of these officers in the district, the number of food safety officers has not increased for decades. 

“The number of food safety officers have been the same ever since the office came into existence decades ago. In Nashik district, initially there were 12 posts, which were reduced to 10 sometime back,” said food safety officer.

The officer added, “With changing times, the population has increased, markets have increased, new varieties of food products have arrived in the market, and different items are produced from a same fruit or vegetable. The food safety officers cannot be everywhere and no food seller of producer, however small or big, can be given the benefit of doubt.”

The officers said when they conducted a raid at some place, they were alone to seize the goods, arrange a vehicle for transporting it to the office and make the report and send it to the senior officer. The pressure for taking action against those selling or producing sub-standard products for consumption is constant. 

The officers said that given the population of the district, there should be at least 50 food safety officers in Nashik and every officer should have three assistants.

Chandrashekhar Salunke, joint director, FDA (food) Nashik said, “It is a fact that the number of posts are less. However, all sanctioned posts are filled and we are duty bound to ensure that citizens get only pure and unadulterated food and other items. We are making the best use of the available officers to provide quality service to the citizens.”