Chemist shops raided, 19 put on notice

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 4

In a major offensive against the illegal sale of habit-forming drugs, the UT Administration today launched a major drive against chemists selling such drugs without following the norms.

At least 19 shops in Sectors 7 and 9, Bapu Dham and Mani Majra were issued a show-cause notice for not maintaining the records of the sale and purchase of habit-forming drugs. Similar raids were conducted in other areas also. SDM, East, Danish Ashraf, drugs control officer Sunil Chaudhary and inspectors of the Food, Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department checked over 20 shops.

Among the major anomalies found at the chemist shops were licences not displayed at a prominent place, stores being run without a pharmacist and failure to produce sale and purchase records of drugs. “If the chemists are found erring again, strict action will be taken against them,” said a senior UT official.

The raids followed a decision taken at a meeting of all departments convened by UT Adviser Vijay Kumar Dev regarding illegal sale of habit-forming drugs and other organised crimes such as gambling, illegal sale of liquor and flesh trade.

VAT evasion of Rs 50 lakh detected

The UT Excise and Taxation Department has detected VAT evasion of around Rs 50 lakh in the city. In one of the cases, a petrol station, Gurdyal Pump, had not deposited Rs 25 lakh as VAT during 2014-2015. Similarly, Shree Rathnam in Sector 35 had not deposited Rs 21 lakh as VAT for 2014-2015, said Additional Excise and Taxation Commissioner Kashish Mittal.