Records of two pharma firms in Solan under lens

Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 5

The records of two pharma companies, which delivered 5,700 bottles of hand sanitisers to an employee of the HP Secretariat for “free distribution”, are being scrutinised by the State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau.

A case has been filed against government contractor Lalit Kumar, who supplied the sanitisers without any licence. The matter was referred to the Vigilance after a departmental probe by the Director, Health Safety and Regulations. In his report, the officer stated that prima facie the contractor was guilty on several counts. He said there seemed a collusion between the manufacturers — Asian Pharma, Baddi, and Samson Laboratories, Barotiwala (both in Solan) — and some officials in the Secretariat.

Also, the prices of the sanitisers donated by the two companies had been inflated and then sold to the government. Provisions of the Essential Commodities Act too were violated. Though no arrest has been made so far, a branch superintendent at the Secretariat has been placed under suspension. Sources said the official reportedly pressurised his subordinates to tamper with the rates.

The BJP government in the state is also under pressure for alleged irregularities in the purchase of PPE kits.