Himachal: Manish Kapoor gets additional charge of State Drugs Controller

Solan, January 30

A month after keeping the key post of the State Drugs Controller (SDC) vacant, the state government today gave its additional charge to Deputy Drugs Controller (DDC) Manish Kapoor. A notification was issued this evening by the Secretary (Health) in which Kapoor has been directed to hold the charge till further orders.

The action follows a news item “Drugs Controller not appointed, working of pharma units suffers” that appeared in these columns today where the indecisiveness of the state government in appointing an SDC even a month after the incumbent had superannuated was highlighted. It had reflected on the problems faced by the pharmaceutical industry, whose clearances were stuck up in the absence of non-completion of formalities.

Kapoor is the senior-most official in the department. It was intriguing why the state government had not appointed a regular SDC even a month after pondering over the issue.

Welcoming the development, Rajesh Gupta, president, Himachal Drug Manufacturers Association, said: “We thank the state government and the Health and Family Welfare Minister for giving additional charge of the SDC to DDC Manish Kapoor.”

The incumbent now faces a Herculean task in first completing the piled up work, which would take some weeks before streamlining the regular work.