FDA and Animal Husbandry department at loggerheads in haryana

Declining quality of food products and beverages always has been a matter of serious concern for a long time in Haryana as around 30 percent of the food sample fail to meet required quality criteria requiring the Food and Drug Authority (FDA) Department to tighten the noose around the neck of violators in the state. The officials of the FDA continue to defend the department stating that the department is facing a staff crunch, especially the enforcement staff which resulted in a worsening scenario. In wake of the seriousness of the matter, the Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had given a nod to the appointment of veterinarians on deputation in the FDA and following this, a list of the veterinarians was finalized. But the scenario remains unchanged so far as the Animal Husbandry and Dairying Department failed to relieve the veterinarians. In view of aforesaid, the FDA and the Animal Husbandry Department are at loggerheads over the issue.   It has also come to the fore that now the matter has come into the notice of the Additional Chief Secretary of the Health Department.  The list of the veterinary surgeons which will be deployed on deputation in FDA includes the  names of Dr. Pawan Chahal, Dr. Birender Singh, Dr. Azad Singh, Dr. Surendra Singh Juneja, Dr. Rajesh Verma, Dr. Rajeev Nagar, Dr. Yogesh Kumar, Amit Kumar, Dr. Ramesh Chandra, Dr. Pankaj Sharma, Dr. Pradeep Kumar,  and Dr. Gaurav. Out of the above,  Dr. Azad Singh and Dr. Surendra Verma are currently deployed in the Directorate of Panchkula, while the duty of the other 10 veterinarians is in the Animal Husbandry Department in different districts. Notably, the shortage of the enforcement staff  continues to result in delaying the checking of the food sample which puts the lives of the people at stake. It is worth noting that even the Punjab and Haryana  high court had taken the cognizance of the matte after a writ was filed  recently pertaining the decreasing food quality in several districts namely Palwal, Nuh, Faridabad and Gurugram  Ashok Meena, IAS and Commissioner who hold the portfolio the Commissioner of FDA said that a meeting will be held  under the chairmanship of ACS Health in a bid to sort out the issue. The Commissioner of the Animal Husbandry Department will be a part of the same. Pertaining to the matter, Avneet P Kumar, the Commissioner of Animal Husbandry and Dairying Department was contacted but could not be reached. It is pertinent to mention that the matter was approved by the Chief Minister along with Chief Secretary, Finance Department and the Haryana Public Service Commission.