Mumbai: Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, an IAS officer of 2005 batch, has issued a stern warning to officers and employees following a complaint by 29 FDA personnel from the laboratory in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
IAS Mundhe has made it clear that FDA laboratories cannot be treated like conventional government offices operating only from 10 AM to 6 PM. He said laboratories are essential services and may have to function 24 hours a day and seven days a week depending on operational requirements.
At the same time, he clarified that this does not mean individual employees will be made to work continuously. According to IAS Mundhe, employees will continue to work in designated shifts, with each employee required to work an eight-hour shift.
His remarks came after a group of 29 officers and staff members complained about their working conditions and approached Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration Minister Narhari Zirwal.
29 FDA Officers and Staff Raise Workload Concerns
The controversy centres around a memorandum submitted by the 29 employees of the State FDA laboratory in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar to Minister Narhari Zirwal on July 15.
The employees raised concerns about the working arrangements at the laboratory. According to their memorandum, staff members were being assigned duties in shifts and were also required to work on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
They also pointed to vacant posts, which they said had substantially increased the workload on the existing workforce.
The employees expressed concern that excessive workload could potentially affect the quality and efficiency of laboratory sample testing. The memorandum carried the signatures of the concerned officers and employees.
A key demand raised by the employees was that they should be given working hours similar to those followed in other government offices—10 AM to 6 PM.
Mundhe: Laboratory Is Not an Ordinary Government Office
Responding to the complaints, Mr Mundhe rejected the demand for a fixed 10 AM to 6 PM schedule, explaining that the nature of laboratory work is different from that of a conventional government office.
He stressed that an FDA laboratory is an essential service and needs to remain operational according to requirements. He said both government and private laboratories operate round the clock and that the FDA cannot restrict its functioning merely to regular office hours.
Mr Mundhe, however, clarified that continuous laboratory operations do not mean individual employees have to work continuously.
According to his explanation, employees are assigned eight-hour shifts, with duties distributed among personnel according to a shift-based system.
‘No Employee Will Work More Than 48 Hours a Week’
One of the key points in Mundhe’s response was his assertion that employees are not being asked to work indefinitely.
He said each employee works only one designated shift and that no employee is required to work more than 48 hours a week. He linked this arrangement to standards prescribed by the International Labour Organization (ILO).
Employees are also provided a weekly day off, according to the FDA Commissioner’s explanation.
At present, laboratory operations are being conducted through two shifts over six days. However, Mundhe said that if operational requirements demand it, the laboratories can be operated 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
This means the laboratory’s operational schedule may extend beyond the conventional six-day working pattern, while individual employees would continue to be rostered for designated shifts.
‘Those Unable to Work as Per Rules Can Resign’
He also adopted a tough stance towards employees who are unwilling to work according to government regulations and the requirements of their posts.
He reportedly told the 29 employees that those who cannot work according to government rules are free to resign and leave.
The warning reflects Mundhe’s characteristic no-nonsense approach to administration. Rather than accepting a blanket demand for conventional office timings, he has emphasised that employees must adapt to the nature of the service and the responsibilities attached to their positions.
His message was that the laboratory’s functioning cannot be compromised simply to maintain fixed office hours.
Focus on Food Safety and Adulteration
The controversy comes at a time when Mundhe is also pushing for stricter enforcement of food and drug standards across Maharashtra.
As FDA Commissioner, he has been focusing on action against adulteration and on improving quality standards covering food products, hotels and restaurants.
His administration has also taken steps concerning food safety around educational institutions, including a restriction on junk food within a 50-metre radius of schools.
The broader objective is to strengthen regulatory oversight and ensure that food safety standards are effectively enforced across the state.
Why the Laboratory Working-Hours Issue Matters
The dispute highlights the operational challenges faced by regulatory laboratories, particularly when there are vacancies and increasing workloads.
While the employees have raised concerns about workload, weekly-off duties and the possibility of testing quality being affected, the FDA administration maintains that laboratories providing essential regulatory services cannot necessarily follow the same schedule as ordinary government offices.
The issue therefore involves two competing requirements: ensuring reasonable working conditions for employees while maintaining uninterrupted laboratory capacity for food and drug testing.
Mr Mundhe’s response attempts to draw a distinction between laboratory-level round-the-clock functioning and individual employee working hours. His position is that the facility may need to remain operational seven days a week, but employees would continue to work within designated shifts and weekly-hour limits.
For now, the controversy has brought renewed attention to the functioning of FDA laboratories in Maharashtra and the administration’s approach towards staffing, shifts and enforcement of food safety regulations.
About IAS Tukaram Mundhe
Mr Mundhe, a 2005-batch IAS officer of the Maharashtra cadre, is widely known for his strict administrative style, field-oriented approach and strong emphasis on discipline, accountability and rule-based governance. Over his career, he has held several important assignments across Maharashtra and has often attracted public attention for taking firm positions on administrative matters and enforcing government rules without much flexibility.
His uncompromising approach has earned him both appreciation and criticism, particularly when his decisions have challenged established working practices. As Commissioner of the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA), he has been focusing on strengthening food and drug safety enforcement, curbing adulteration and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards across the state.
One of the most talked-about aspects of Mr Mundhe’s career is the frequency of his transfers. Recent reports have put his transfer tally at 25 transfers in 21 years of service, making him one of the most frequently transferred IAS officers in Maharashtra. Earlier reports had recorded more than 12 transfers during his first 13 years of service, while subsequent accounts put the figure at 23 transfers in 20 years.
The repeated transfers have become a defining feature of IAS Mundhe’s administrative career. Supporters have often viewed his frequent postings as being linked to his strict, independent and no-nonsense style of functioning, while critics have raised concerns about the impact of frequent transfers on administrative continuity. Despite the changes in assignments, he has continued to draw attention for his hands-on approach, strong enforcement measures and willingness to take tough decisions in the public interest.
