No salary for Food Safety Officers

It was a bitter Pongal for 123 sanitary officers/sanitary inspectors/food inspectors of nine Corporations and all municipalities who have been absorbed by the State Government as Food Safety Officers (FSO).For, ever since they were diverted from the services of the local bodies to the State Government in November, they have been denied their salary for the last two months.These FSOs have been made to run from pillar to post by the heads of a few departments and even after the lapse of two months there seems to be little hope for them in getting their salary at the earliest.Among them, eight are from Madurai Corporation.They were relieved from their posts in the Corporations (other than Chennai city) following a communication from the Commissioner of Food Safety, Chennai.“Though the Corporation was quick to relieve us as per the instruction of Commissioner of Food Safety, it did not respect the Commissioner's direction that the sanitary inspectors/sanitary officers would draw their pay and allowances in the same post in their existing stations,” one of the FSO said.“The fate of those officers absorbed from the rural local bodies and town panchayats were good, since their diversion to the new post was seamless. So, was the case with the 25 FSOs who had been absorbed from the Chennai Corporation. Chennai Corporation has not relieved them and continues to pay them their salary, till further orders from the Commissioner of Food Safety,” he added.

The FSOs have begun their work of conducting a survey of food trades – trades that deal with all kinds of eatables, from restaurants to grocery shops. 

No salary

 “How does the Government expect us to work without salary for months together? We are informed that establishing the office per se will take some more time and disbursement of our salary is likely to be held up for a few more months,” the officer said.The officials in the office of Commissioner of Food Safety claim that their communication on salary disbursement was clear and it was only for the Commissioner of Municipal Administration (CMA) to decide on it. Officials in CMA directed the SFOs to the Secretary, Municipal Administration.The queries made on the issue through the provisions of Right to Information Act with the CMA and the Commissioner of Food Safety has not evoked any response for a month now.“While we were all relieved on November 1, 2011, the Government Order on the issue had been made only on December 22, 2011. We do not know how we were relieved without a G.O. If the need of the FSOs was so important for the Government, is not the salary too important for us? Now, we are left with no other option but to move the High Court,” the officer said.

Source:http://www.thehindu.com