Hyderabad: A division bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice Dilip B. Bhosale and Justice P. Naveen Rao, of the Hyderabad High Court on Wednesday suggested both TS and AP to make efforts to double the number of existing posts of food safety inspectors in the two states in the coming years.
While dealing with a taken-up matter based on newspaper reports with regard to rampant usage of calcium carbide to ripen fruits, the bench felt that a constant vigil on adulterators was required to prevent food adulteration and also use of chemicals to preserve food and ripen fruits keeping in view the heath and safety of future generations.
Principal secretary, AP medical and health department, Poonam Malakondaiah, appeared before the bench after being directed to do so and explain the reasons for the delay in filling up vacancies in food safety wing.
AP advocate-general Dammalapati Srinivas, appearing for the official, submitted that the AP government has issued a GO to fill up vacancies of nine assistant food controllers, 26 food safety officers, 13 office superintendents and 13 junior assistant which are vacant.
When the bench questioned him about the time to be taken for filling up these sanctioned vacancies, the A-G replied that the AP Public Service Commission has to fill the vacancies once the authorisation is sent to it by the government.
Counsel representing TS also said that the state government has already authorised the Telangana PSC to fill up the posts of food safety officers and other vacancies.
Pointing out that it would have been better to complete the recruitment process within two to three months, Justice Bhosale said as both the service commissioners are not parties in the matter, if the two governments complete all formalities in authorising the commissions to fill up vacancies, this court would request the PSCs to complete recruitment within three months.
