IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe, Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Maharashtra, is facing fresh trouble after 29 officers and employees at the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar FDA laboratory lodged a written complaint against his functioning with state FDA Minister Narhari Zirwal.
The complaint, sent on 15 July and signed by all 29 officials, objects to Mundhe's decision to introduce a two-shift working system at the laboratory, along with orders requiring staff to work on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, according to a report by NDTV Marathi.
Employees have alleged they are being made to work extended hours, from 9 a.m. to midnight, even as a large number of sanctioned posts remain vacant, adding to the workload on existing staff.
According to the complaint, the additional workload has not been matched by extra manpower, technical assistants or resources, raising fears among employees that the rushed clearing of backlogged food, drug and cosmetic samples could compromise the quality of testing.
Staff have also claimed there is insufficient time to test samples against standards such as the Indian Pharmacopoeia, British Pharmacopoeia and US Pharmacopoeia.
Among their key demands, the employees have sought that laboratory capacity, equipment and staffing be expanded before any two-shift system is introduced, and that the earlier office timings be restored with the two-shift order withdrawn altogether.
ALSO READ: Tukaram Mundhe-Led FDA Orders FSSAI Licenses For School Canteens In Maharashtra, Bans Junk Food
They have also demanded appropriate allowances for the additional hours, an end to frequently changing orders and shifting schedules that they say have caused confusion, and assurance that sample analysis will not be rushed or compromised for the sake of speed, the outlet reported.
Mundhe, an officer known for his strict administrative style, has previously drawn controversy over enforcement action at the FDA, including raids on private establishments that have faced separate scrutiny from the Bombay High Court, per other reporting.
The latest complaint marks a fresh setback for the officer as employees under him push back publicly against his working methods.
The FDA and Minister Zirwal haven't yet responded publicly to the complaint.
ALSO READ: No High-Fat, Sugary Foods In Maharashtra Schools: Tukaram Mundhe-Led FDA Issues Strict Orders
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
