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Maharashtra FDA short of 63 drug inspectors, 5 joint commissioners
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Laxmi Yadav, Mumbai
April 30 , 2016
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Functioning of the Maharashtra Food & Drug Administration may get
seriously affected if it delays appointment of 63 drug inspectors and
five joint commissioners in the state. These positions have been lying
vacant for some time causing pressure on existing inspectors and senior
officials.
There are 8 sanctioned posts of joint commissioners
in the drug department. Of that, the post of joint commissioner who
heads a division is lying vacant in Kokan, Aurangabad, Nashik, Amravati,
Nagpur FDA divisions.
Besides this, there are just 98 drug
inspectors as against 161 sanctioned posts. In Greater Mumbai FDA
division, 9 drug inspectors' posts are lying vacant out of 21 sanctioned
posts.
The existing 98 drug inspectors have to cover 3,258
manufacturing units and 75,000 retail chemists in the state. There has
been no recruitment of drug inspectors after 2012, said a senior drug
inspector.
He said that due to dearth of staff, the existing drug
inspectors are facing daunting task of handling office work, serving
showcause notices, making rounds at courts for cases, and simultaneously
carrying out inspections at manufacturing firms and sale outlets.
“The
increasing workload has taken its toll on our health. Last year a drug
inspector aged 48 years suffered heart attack due to the burgeoning
workload,” he said.
There are 2 clerical staff to cater to 7
zones at FDA headquarters, Mumbai. As per the norm, there should be one
senior clerk and one junior clerk at each zone, he added.
Besides
manpower crunch, there is only one vehicle for FDA for entire greater
Bombay division. The drug inspectors said they often have to travel by
public transport or their own vehicles to conduct investigations or
raids. They also have to take care of shortage of stationary like
computers, threads, low bandwidth internet connection.
As per the
government norm, a gazetted drug inspector needs to be provided a
separate cabin but no such arrangement has been made at the greater
Mumbai FDA division, lamented the drug inspector.
“We have sent
several reminders to O S Sadhwani, joint commissioner (administration)
seeking redressal of grievances pertaining to basic infrastructure but
to no avail,” he added.
When Pharmabiz tried to speak with O S
Sadhwani pertaining to drug inspectors' recruitment and infrastructure
issue, he refused to comment on it.
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