Operations of 27 erring Drug Sale Establishments suspended in Jammu Division

JAMMU, DECEMBER 30: To ensure availability of genuine and quality medicines/medical products for the end-users/patients, a special drive is being carried out regularly in Jammu Province under the supervision of Concerned Empowered Authorities. The drive is being conducted under the overall supervision of Mohammad Iqbal Palla, Deputy Drugs Controller, Jammu. The main objective of the drive is to ensure availability of quality medicines and to curb the unethical sale of medicinal formulations prone to cause intoxication.    

During the drive, Operations of Twenty Seven   Drug  Sale Establishments (Eighteen  in Jammu ( Retail/Wholesale) , Two each   in  Udhampur, Reasi &  Rajouri  Districts , One each  in Doda, Kathua  & Kishtwar)  were disallowed for indulging in violation of the provisions of Drugs & Cosmetics Act,1940 & rules there-under.  

The licenses were subsequently suspended and the defaulters have been warned to desist from any malpractices.

Statutory Drug samples of nearly One Hundred Fifty formulations of various categories in particular lesser known and fast moving brands were lifted randomly  for determination of strength, purity and other quality parameters. These samples have been referred to Drug Testing Laboratories located for framing of  legal opinion w.r.t quality parameters.

Awareness/Sensitization Programs were initiated involving the youth and other stake-holders in different areas in coordination with the Officers of District Administration to propagate awareness  regarding the menace of substance abuse and its dangerous  ill-effects.

Accused facing trial under different sections of Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940 in Six Court  cases have been penalized by the  Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Jammu where a penalty of more than Rs 8.00 Lakh has been imposed on the accused along with imprisonment (TRC) in some cases.

Recently, Licensing Authorities (Wholesale & Retail) of Jammu Province have cancelled more than  Hundred  non-operative/non-existing  Drugs Sale Licenses  to avoid their misuse by nefarious elements.

 Moreover, Stocks of Drugs worth Rs 19,000 that were found to be contravening the provisions of the D&C Act have also been confiscated from the supply chain  by the Regulatory Officers  of the organization.

Smt Lotika Khajuria, State Drugs Controller, J&K  has once again impressed upon the Pharma fraternity to strictly adhere to the conditions of licenses and desist from any unlawful activity. The Empowered Drug Control Authorities have been impressed upon to ensure the installation of CCTV Cameras and impress upon Chemists to adopt computerized system of billing for maintenance of records in larger NO: PR/DDI/J-5473//