Karnal: Protesting pharmacists want pay hike, vacant post filled

Tribune News Service
Karnal, August 18

Hundreds of pharmacists on Sunday held a protest in Karnal, demanding the government meet their demands, and staged a dharna outside the CM’s camp office for around three hours.

They were demanding a pay band of Rs 4,600 and the recruitment of a deputy director (Pharmacy) — a post which has been lying vacant since the last several years. 

Besides, they also demanded that a B. Pharma degree should be the basic qualification for the recruitment of a pharmacist in government jobs.

They handed over a memorandum to Hawa Singh, Naib Tehsildar, for the Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. 

They were adamant on a meeting with the Chief Minister, so that they can raise the issues with him.

After the assurance of a meeting with the CM on August 21, the pharmacists under the banner of the Association of Government Pharmacists Haryana, lifted their blockade and threatened if their demands were not met after the meeting with the CM they will go on mass casual leave from August 26.

Vinod Dalal, state president of the association, led the protest. The protesting pharmacists assembled at Jat Dharmshala marched towards the CM’s camp office, where they were stopped by the police. When they were not allowed to gherao the CM’s camp office, the protesting pharmacists staged a dharna near the camp office.

Dalal said that their demand of a pay band of Rs 4600 had already been accepted by the Health Minister Anil Vij and the CM Khattar, but it was not implemented as the Finance Department has not been giving its nod for it.

“We are demanding the strict implementation of Pharmacy Act 1948 under which only the qualified pharmacist can store and distribute the medicines. The government should sanction new posts of pharmacists at sub-centre level,” he said.

The government should allow pharmacists to do a bridge course for the post of Community Health Officer, he demanded.