Despite handicaps, pharma units working hard to meet demand

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, April 20

The multi-crore pharmaceutical industry in Asia’s pharmaceutical hub of Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh (BBN) was endeavouring hard to meet drug requirement of the nation amid the Covid-19 pandemic. As many as 258 of the 473 pharmaceutical units in Solan and Sirmaur districts were operating up to 60 per cent capacity.

Key pharma units like Panaces Biotech, Morepen Laboratories, Abbott India, Cipla India, Alkem laboratories, Dr Reddy’s , Glenmark pharma, Macleods, etc., are among the 178 pharmaceutical units which were operating at capacities ranging from 5 to 50 per cent in the areas lying outside the containment zone in the BBN area, informed State Drugs Controller, Navneet Marwaha.

He informed that with more pharma units seeking permission to operate by bringing their manpower from other districts quantum of manufacturing was increasing by the day and no shortage of drugs was reported from within and other states.

Apart from this, 80 pharma units were operational in Sirmaur district out of 123, informed SP Sirmaur, Ajay Krishan Sharma.

Figures revealed that Affy Parenterals was operating with 60 per cent capacity while top unit like Alkem Laboratories has managed to ramp up and operating at 40 per cent capacity. Cadila Healthcare, which was also manufacturing hydroxychloroquine, was able to operate at 30 per cent capacity. Dr Reddy’s Lab was, however, able to operate up to only 10 to 15 per cent of its capacities in its two units while another pharma major Glenmark Pharma’s three units were operating at 10 to 25 per cent capacity. Three units of Unichem Laboratories were operating at 40 to 46 per cent capacities.

The police force in the BBN area was working overtime to facilitate the industry and requests to permit movement of industrial workers from within and other states were being recommended on a daily basis.

“As many as 111 trucks and other vehicles carrying pharmaceutical and its ancillary industries goods have been dispatched from the BBN area in the last 24 hours while 135 carrying raw material from various parts of the country entered the area which was an indication of the growing manufacturing activity in the area”, informed Rohit Malpani, SP, Baddi.

49 units in BBN area not operational

• Absence of adequate manpower and raw material has stalled operations.
• Declaration of Jharmajri in Barotiwala and Radyali in Nalagarh as red zones following detection of nine Covid-19 positive cases has led to 49 units shutting operations in the BBN area. These units were located in the containment zones of Jharmajri in Barotiwala.
• Major pharma units like Wockhardt, USV, Venus Remedies, Smilax Healthcare, etc, were closed since April 14.