Hustle-and-bustle back in BBN pharma hub

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, June 3

Activities in Asia’s pharmaceutical hub of Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh are gathering momentum after the state government permitted inter-state movement of industrial workforce though three shifts operations are marred by restrictions on vehicular movement in neighbouring states.

Big companies such as Cipla, Cadila, Torrent, Abbot, Alkem, Dr Reddy’s Lab, etc., are operating at nearly 75 to 80 per cent capacities. They are among the top pharmaceutical units that are ensuring that there is no shortage of medicines in the country. One-third of the country’s drugs are being manufactured here. Barely 20 to 25 small units are yet to restart manufacturing, say industry sources. The Rs 8,000 crore pharmaceutical industry is one of the major employment providers in Himachal, says Navneet Marwaha, State Drug Controller.

Nearly 50 per cent of the employees of large pharmaceutical companies such as Alkem, Cadila, and Cipla commute from Tricity (Chandigarh, Panchkula, Mohali) while in smaller units, this number is about 30 to 50 per cent. The workers, who either travel in their own vehicles or in vehicles permitted by the Baddi police, are able to report for work. Even those living within 3 km of the inter-state barriers are permitted to walk across. A large number of workers, who were earlier using public transport to commute to the BBN from Kalka, Pinjore and neighbouring Punjab, are, however, facing loss of work.

“Since the inter-state movement of public transport to Punjab and Haryana has not resumed, these employees are without work,” said the Human Resource Department head of a renowned pharma unit in Baddi.

He said, “The government should permit the HRTC to run buses to Kalka, Pinjore and nearby Punjab areas to facilitate industrial workers. The government can also earn some revenue”.

“Though the government has permitted industries to operate for 12 hours, the last shift, which lasts till 11 pm, is creating issues for the staff coming from Tricity due to late-evening restrictions,” said Ajay Kumar, a senior HR executive of a famous pharma company in Baddi.

Investors are now demanding government intervention to resolve the inter-state issue, as it is hindering manufacturing operations. Micro, small and medium sector enterprises (MSMEs) are experiencing a decline in demand. “The repeat drugs, which comprise about 10 to 15 per cent of the total demand, witnessed a major decline in volume due to the closure of OPDs in hospitals and factors such as the rise in the prices of raw materials and logistics cost have affected the sales,” said SL Singla, Adviser, Himachal Drugs Manufacturers Association. He, however, added that the demand would pick up in July with the onset of monsoons when disease incidence increases.