City chemists laud crackdown on erring wholesalers, retailers

Aparna Banerji

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, July 15

The chemists associations in the district have lauded the police crackdown against unlicensed chemists who have been nabbed by the police in the ongoing campaign against drugs.

While lakhs of tablets were seized and recoveries of over Rs 7 lakh of intoxicants were made in the district during drives recently, the associations have been quick to state that none of the persons nabbed were members of their organisations.

Unlike Ludhiana where chemists have been vocal against the police action against them, the Jalandhar chemists have declared that they would disown any chemist who indulge in nefarious activities such as selling of drugs without a licence.

Even as the chemists have already put up signboards stating that they will not sell syringes or medicines without prescriptions, both retail and wholesale chemist associations have stated that the nabbed chemists were not part of the associations.

Sanjay Sehgal, president of the Retail Chemists Association (RCA) in the city, said: “We back the government in its actions against chemists. The nabbed chemists and wholesalers are not a part of our association. We have declared that the RCA will snap ties with all chemists who will indulge in any foul play or not abide with the rules.”

Rishu Verma, president of the Wholesale Chemists Association, Jalandhar, said: “None of these chemists were part of our association. While Punit Kapahi was running his store away from the main market, he was not even a part of us. We have been clear about this from day one. While we won’t spare or associate with chemists indulging in illegal activities, we will also not tolerate any undue harassment of chemists either. We laud the police crackdown and action should be taken against erring chemists. As far as the strike starting on July 27 is concerned, the chemists will be a part of it since it is against online wholesalers and retailers who continue to sell illegal drugs with impunity. The government should also act against them.”

In a joint drive by health and police officials, an unlicensed retailer, Punit Kapahi, was arrested on Saturday after a huge stash of illegal drugs worth Rs 4,50,000 was found at his shop Unique Pharma, being run from the basement of Monica Tower at Love Kush Chowk in the city.

Two persons, cousins Tarun Kalia and Navratan Kalia, had also been caught on Thursday with 2,655 intoxicant capsules, 500 injections and 42 bottles of syrup stored in their Maruti car. Additional drugs worth Rs 1,47,000 were seized from Kalia’s home. Another accused Prem Nath, owner of Mittu Medical Hall, was also arrested on Thursday after investigations led to the store in the Dilkusha Market.