Uncertainty dogs Baddi pharma laboratory

Tribune News Service

Solan, October 3

Uncertainty looms large over the multi-crore drug testing lab being set up by the Industries Department in the Baddi industrial area for the past four years as no funds were available for installing the requisite equipment.

Though the civil work was completed at a cost of Rs 3.25 crore years ago making the lab functional has become a Harculean task. A fresh move has been initiated by the officials to seek funds from the state government after preparing a list of equipment.

Deputy Director, Industries, Sanjay Kanwar, who has recently assumed charge at Baddi, said they were endeavouring to make it functional in the near future as a large amount of money had been incurred on the civil work. He added that a list of equipment required for this lab would be finalised soon and a proposal moved before the state government for seeking funds.

The project was sanctioned under the Assistance to the States for Development of Export Infrastructure and Allied Activities Scheme of the Central Government and funds worth Rs 8.9 crore were supposed to be received. The scheme was, however, discontinued in 2014 and only Rs 3.25 crore were made available for this lab. Former Chief Minister had laid its foundation stone in July 2014.

Though a proposal seeking funds worth Rs 1.30 crore for installing equipment was moved by the officials, it failed to get financial clearance from the state government. It remains to be seen whether the fresh efforts to revive this project will yield fruitful results.

The Industries Department had also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Mohali-based National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research in 2016 to seek technical support for setting up this lab. Initially, the Himachal Drug Manufacturers Association was supposed to operate it. Even a special purpose vehicle comprising association members was setup for this purpose. The association, however, did little to make it functional and the officials of the Industries Department were left in a quandary.

A modern drug testing facility was the need of the hour for the Baddi Barotiwala Nalagarh Industrial Area as a majority of the pharma companies comprise small-scale entrepreneurs and drug testing involved expenditure of crores. Small manufacturers got their drugs tested from accredited labs located outside the state.

According to an estimate, these units incurred an expenditure of about Rs 15 lakh per month on such testing as it was a mandatory provision under the Schedule L-1 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act where a drug had to be tested from a recognised lab before being sold.

Need of the hour

• A modern drug testing facility was the need of the hour as drug testing involved expenditure of crores. 
• According to an estimate, these units incurred an expenditure of about Rs 15 lakh per month on such testing as it was a mandatory provision under the Schedule L-1 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act where a drug had to be tested from a recognised lab before being sold.