Indian Express: Chandigarh: Wednesday, 5Th February
2025.
As many as 16,144 food samples were collected between January 1, 2020 and July 23, 2024 to check the safety and standard, of which 4,398 were declared failed, the FDA responded to an RTI query filed by Vijay Deep Rathee, a lawyer at the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chandigarh.
At least 27 per cent of food
samples collected in four years and seven months by the Food and Drugs
Administration (FDA), Haryana, failed tests found unsuitable for human
consumption divulged information obtained under the Right to Information Act.
As many as 16,144 food samples were collected between January 1, 2020 and July 23, 2024 to check the safety and standard, of which 4,398 were declared failed, the FDA responded to an RTI query filed by Vijay Deep Rathee, a lawyer at the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chandigarh.
The food samples included milk, milk products, cereal and cereal-based products, fruit products, sweeteners and wheat flour, an official said.
The highest number of 1,229 samples were collected in Gurgaon district during the given period, of which 342 (28%) declared failed. In neighbouring Faridabad, nearly 34 per cent of the total collected samples (593) were declared failed. In Panchkula, the percentage of failed samples is nearly 18 per cent, according to the RTI information. Mewat tops the list with nearly 39 per cent of samples failing tests, Hisar followed with a little more than 34 per cent of failed tests, and Yamunanagar at the bottom with 10.47% failed samples.
All 45 posts in FDA lying
vacant
According to official sources, all 45 sanctioned posts of food safety officers with the FDA are lying vacant and ten officers on deputation are running its affairs.
Responding to a representation from Rathee, the Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) on January 28 informed him that the Commission had in 2022 advertised 41 posts of food safety officers (FSO). The Commission said following the advertisement of posts, petitions were filed before the High Court about essential qualifications for the FSO posts in the service rules of the FDA Department.
Thus, the government in December 2023 withdrew the requisition for 41 posts and the recruitment process was stalled.
According to the HPSC, “No requisition for the posts of FSOs has been received from the government to date. In the absence of the government requisition, the Commission cannot advertise for FSO posts on its own.”
When contacted, a senior officer said the FDA had already sent the recruitment draft rules to the government for approval.
Rathee said, “There is a need for 75 FSOs in Haryana based on the state’s population.”
“If stricter laws are not made and enforced, it will lead to serious health issues and even loss of lives,” Rathee added.
As many as 16,144 food samples were collected between January 1, 2020 and July 23, 2024 to check the safety and standard, of which 4,398 were declared failed, the FDA responded to an RTI query filed by Vijay Deep Rathee, a lawyer at the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chandigarh.
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| The food samples included milk, milk products, cereal and cereal-based products, fruit products, sweeteners and wheat flour, an official said. (Representational Photo) |
As many as 16,144 food samples were collected between January 1, 2020 and July 23, 2024 to check the safety and standard, of which 4,398 were declared failed, the FDA responded to an RTI query filed by Vijay Deep Rathee, a lawyer at the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chandigarh.
The food samples included milk, milk products, cereal and cereal-based products, fruit products, sweeteners and wheat flour, an official said.
The highest number of 1,229 samples were collected in Gurgaon district during the given period, of which 342 (28%) declared failed. In neighbouring Faridabad, nearly 34 per cent of the total collected samples (593) were declared failed. In Panchkula, the percentage of failed samples is nearly 18 per cent, according to the RTI information. Mewat tops the list with nearly 39 per cent of samples failing tests, Hisar followed with a little more than 34 per cent of failed tests, and Yamunanagar at the bottom with 10.47% failed samples.
According to official sources, all 45 sanctioned posts of food safety officers with the FDA are lying vacant and ten officers on deputation are running its affairs.
Responding to a representation from Rathee, the Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) on January 28 informed him that the Commission had in 2022 advertised 41 posts of food safety officers (FSO). The Commission said following the advertisement of posts, petitions were filed before the High Court about essential qualifications for the FSO posts in the service rules of the FDA Department.
Thus, the government in December 2023 withdrew the requisition for 41 posts and the recruitment process was stalled.
According to the HPSC, “No requisition for the posts of FSOs has been received from the government to date. In the absence of the government requisition, the Commission cannot advertise for FSO posts on its own.”
When contacted, a senior officer said the FDA had already sent the recruitment draft rules to the government for approval.
Rathee said, “There is a need for 75 FSOs in Haryana based on the state’s population.”
“If stricter laws are not made and enforced, it will lead to serious health issues and even loss of lives,” Rathee added.
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