Why after all, should more than 25000 chemists and druggists in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir be caused to undergo sufferings and compelled to run from pillar and post just for renewing of their licences? Should such a scenario be seen on continuous basis even after the Prime Minister stressing on making things like obtaining of licences and allied important papers hassles free and in quickest possible time . Times demand leapfrogging in matters of switching over to more convenient and peoples friendly procedures instead of asking them to wait for a particular procedure or authority to take over in doing a thing, which in ordinary course, should never be hostage to administrative lethargy and convenience. To speak plainly , applicants of whatever hue, are least bothered for which council, committee or agency was to be constituted and when made functional in order to dispense and deliver, which is otherwise wanted quickly if not instantaneously.
If there are really some hitches and humps in doing things “properly” , at the moment , cannot a designated authority be authorised to at least provisionally renew those of licences which are expired and merit renewal ? Atleast , the dates of expiry could be extended by two to three months by a notification. Agreed, Pharmacy Council due to unavoidable reasons, could not be made functional afresh since October last, what prevents the administration to put in place some alternate arrangements ? We often have been lamenting over the administration pressing panic buttons and digging proverbial wells when the fire was raging instead of making arrangements and devise such a structural mechanism that impending crisis or problem was taken well care of . The administration telling the concerned chemists to wait and thus carry on their business in the absence of authorisation was fraught with ramifications of serious nature as both retailers and whole sale dealers were dealing in sensitive items like medicines which otherwise come under Essential Commodities Act. Both the aspects of the existing scenario depict intra- contradictory situation.
One more very important aspect of any issue or problem is to see if it had got something to do with employment potential as wherever employment opportunities are available and are tapped in private sector, it should be supplemented by the actions and schemes of the Government and not instead disturbed unless it was seen indulging in unlawful activities . In other words, in the area under reference, lot many people were getting their livelihood from it and any move leading to the brink of closure or limiting of size of trade activities was going to immediately affect the work force engaged therein not only because of the problem of re- constitution of Pharmacy Council but hundreds of those who had barest required qualifications under the hitherto existing system, stood now imperilled if the qualifications under the application of the Central Law were made applicable which are nothing less than possessing a degree in Diploma in Pharmacy . We reiterate, no move should be in place to strike at the roots of the livelihood of hundreds of such likely to be affected licence holders. A via-media could be found out by applying such norms for future licences and not for existing ones. We donot agree that such “relaxations” could be granted only till the validity of the existing licences as that would spell doom for hundreds of retailers by rendering them jobless. Government has its own limitations in providing jobs , at least those engaged in self-employment should not be unseated.
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