Kasauli laboratory employees await salary

Solan, January 12

As many as 39 staffers of the apex testing lab for vaccines, Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL), at Kasauli, have not got salaries for the month of December. The lab had tested Covid vaccines manufactured indigenously to contain the spread of infection.

The CDL staff informed that “As many as 39 staffers of various categories, which were deemed on deputation from Central Research Institute (CRI), Kasauli were transferred to CDL permanently on November 18, 2022 by the Director CRI. The CDL was asked to make arrangements for their salary with effect from December 2022.”

As per the World Health Organisation guidelines, the testing and manufacturing authority could not be the same following which the CRL and the CDL were separated some years ago.

“If Director CRI plans for transfer of posts with regard to salary then the CDL staff can get the salary in time as the budget allocated for salary of CDL staff for this financial year is with the CRI, Kasauli,” informed Sushil Sahu, Director, CDL, Kasauli.

The CRI officials, however, termed it as a mere procedural issue occurring due to the transfer of staff from the CRI to the CDL. Assistant director, CRI Kasauli, Yashwant Kumar informed that the staff deemed on deputation with the CDL was transferred to the CDL on a permanent basis in December 2022. Its administrative and financial liability now rested with the CDL and as soon as the salary bills are prepared by the CDL staff and submitted they would be passed by the drawing and disbursing authority. Some clarification was, however, being sought for allowances and their arrears could be granted later he added.

CDL Kasauli came into existence in 1993 with a vision to control the safety and efficacy of immunobiologicals i.e. vaccines and antisera manufactured indigenously as well as imported in India.