In 3 yrs, 4 big cases of nefarious drug manufacturing from Sirmaur

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Recoveries in other states

A lax regulatory mechanism of the drug control administration has been exposed as these irregularities have been detected after the seizure of nefarious drugs in other states. Recently, raids conducted by the Punjab Police woke up the local drug licensing authorities from their slumber and forced them to swing into action.

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, June 4

Sirmaur district has earned the dubious distinction of being a hub of nefarious drug trade after four major related cases have come to light in the last three years.

Two recent cases involving the diversion of opioid tramadol capsules worth crores of rupees to Punjab have besmirched the image of the pharma industry of Sirmaur. The raids conducted by Punjab Police woke up the local drug licensing authorities from their slumber and forced them to swing into action.

The authorities of two units — Unique Formulation at Paonta Sahib and Orison Pharma at Kala Amb — were booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, and for forgery, cheating and criminal conspiracy.

Last year, Kala Amb-based pharma firm Digital Vision was closed in February after its Coldbest-PC cough syrup had claimed lives of 12 infants in Udhampur district. The presence of Diethylene Glycol (DEG), a highly toxic substance, was found in the syrup, which had led to the fatalities. While its liquid section, which uses DEG, has been closed, the remaining unit is functional now.

In yet another case, at least 10,000 codeine cough syrup bottles, 47,000 tramadol capsules, among various spurious drugs and intoxicants, were found illegally stocked in a godown at Purruwala in Paonta Sahib during a raid conducted by the State Narcotics Crime Control Cell (SNCCC) and the Drug Control Administration (DCA) in April 2019. The godown belonged to the Apple Field International pharma unit.

Intriguingly, manufacturing has resumed at the unit despite illegal manufacturing of opiates like codeine, which is often misused as an intoxicant, having been found there.

A lax regulatory mechanism of the drug control administration has been exposed as these irregularities have been detected after the seizure of nefarious drugs in other states.

Assistant Drug Licensing Authority, Nahan, Sunny Kaushal, said they were awaiting the reply of the show-cause notices issued to Unique Formulations and Orison Pharma, after which further action would be initiated.

There are more than 50 units manufacturing drugs using narcotics and psychotropic substances in Sirmaur district. At least three have been found indulging in nefarious sales in the last two years.

As a clever ploy, these manufacturers have been seeking licence under the name of locals as has been exposed in the case of Unique Formulations. The police are yet to apprehend the main culprits in this case.

Notably, an owner of Unique Formulations was also booked in the Apple Field International case in April 2019.

State Drugs Controller Navneet Marwaha said a team comprising 20 officials, including deputy and assistant drug controllers as well as SPs from respective districts, would assist in inspecting all pharma firms. Adherence of the new amendment to the Drugs and Cosmetics Act would also be ensured by the field staff, he said.