Manpower shortage affects Food Safety Act in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram: An ill-equipped Food Safety Department with inadequate staff strength is finding it difficult to enforce the Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006, in the state. The recent decision of the State Government to open food safety offices in all 140 constituencies has come as a huge blow to food safety authorities who are struggling to enforce the act with their limited manpower and infrastructure.

More than a year has gone by, but the Government’s announcement on the appointment of 51 food safety officials is yet to materialize. Currently, the department is running the show with just 74 officials, who are hamstrung by the lack of vehicles and other facilities. Around 16 of the total 74 officials will retire this year.

A top official of the Commissionerate of Food Safety said that only 79 constituencies had food safety offices. “We have no idea how to go about with the plan with such poor staff structure. Each office should have a food safety officer, clerks, a data entry operator and a sweeper. We were asked to open offices and we are now trying to find room at public offices, panchayat offices and municipal offices for the purpose. Or else we will have to take buildings on rent,” said the official.

The State Government hasn’t procured a single vehicle since the Commissionerate of Food Safety was launched in the State. “We have only ten official vehicles and it’s hard to attend to grievance calls we receive on the toll free number. Lack of mobility is our main problem and we are forced to hire vehicles for the purpose, which is not good. We must have official vehicles,” said the official. The food safety authorities receive around 600 to 700 calls every month.