Centre suspends drug inspector in Baddi

Tribune News Service

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Solan, November 10

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare suspended a drug inspector with the Central Drug Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), Baddi, for misbehaving with the staff of a pharmaceutical company.

Though the CDSCO office in Baddi is primarily supposed to facilitate export-oriented units in seeking due certification, trouble arose when the drug inspector started lifting drug samples from pharmaceutical units in Baddi for testing under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, and in the process misbehaved with the staff.

A complaint was filed before the ministry by one such unit — Radico Remedies in Barotiwala — whose staff faced harassment at the hands of a CDSCO drug inspector recently.

The unit contended that CDSCO inspectors had been unlawfully exercising the power of chapter IV for inspection, investigation and drawing samples from the manufacturing premises.

Terming it unlawful, the Himachal Drug Manufacturing Association (HDMA) also represented the issue with the ministry, following which drug inspector Kaviyarasan was suspended. Acting on the complaint, the ministry also transferred three drug inspectors from the Baddi office of the CDSCO and posted new officials there, Rajesh Gupta, president, HDMA, said.

A complaint had been received from Radico Remedies where the drug inspector had not only abused the firm staff, but had also created a scene when asked about his identity.

He said such incidents would not augur well for small units, which were barely able to survive the recession plaguing the industry.