Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, July 9: High Court has issued notice and sought response from the Central and UT Governments to the plea of sale and distribution of misbranded and spurious drugs in J&K.
In this regard a PIL filed by the advocate Altaf Khan seeking immediate ban on sale and distribution of drugs manufactured and distributed by unregistered companies in Jammu and Kashmir and initiation legal proceedings against the erring companies and individuals by the concerned authorities.
He submitted before the Division Bench of Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey and Justice M Akram Chowdhary that the sale and distribution of misbranded, substandard and spurious drugs in J&K is on.
“The unregistered companies are manufacturing the drugs and the distributors legally not entitled to distribute such medicines are sending the fake, spurious and misbranded drugs in every nook and corner of J&K besides there is no system to control the menace of self-medication in the union territory.
J&K is a victim of fake and spurious drugs which has made it heaven for the unregistered and notorious drug manufacturers. Since there is no system of fixing responsibility for fake drugs in violation of Drugs and cosmetics act and rules made thereunder.”
The DB after hearing the counsel Khan issued notice to the Drug Controller Drugs and Food Control Organisation, J&K, Deputy Drug Controller Drugs and Food Control Organisation, J&K, Additional Chief Secretary Health & Medical Education Department, J&K Civil Secretariat Srinagar/Jammu, Managing Director J&K Medical Supplies Corporation Limited Srinagar, Drug Controller of India, The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation, Directorate General of Health Services Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. Of India, and Commissioner Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Directorate General of Health Services, Union of India for filing of response to the contention raised in the plea.
It is also being sought that a detailed report submitted with respect to the operation of unregistered companies and manufacturing units and selling misbranded and unregistered medicines in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the respondents to devise a strategy to prevent the entry and sale of spurious and fake medicines in the union territory and create awareness about the labelling and other mechanisms and take preventive measures by using all the available options to spread awareness about the medicines and drugs including and seminars, television, public debates, newspapers, internet, radio for creating awareness among masses.
The petitioner contended that he has conducted a preliminary investigation and found that there are at least a hundred companies which are apparently operating in J&K without a valid license to manufacture drugs and medicines and despite this lacuna, the said companies are openly selling drugs under their different brand names in the market.
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