Punjab minister, official at loggerheads over missing de-addiction drug

Vishav Bharti

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 9

In the case of the missing 5 crore tablets of de-addiction drug buprenorphine-naloxone, a senior government officer had proposed that owners of the 23 erring de-addiction centres should be booked under the NDPS Act but Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu wants to let them off with a mere warning. 

Since buprenorphine-naloxone falls in the category of psychotropic substance, any illegal sale of the medicine invites action under the NDPS Act. Punishment under the NDPS Act is harsher and any person found guilty of indulging in the sale or purchase of any psychotropic drug gets a minimum of 10 years in prison and that can be extended to 20 years and a minimum fine of Rs 1 lakh.

Following the report, the Health Minister had directed all civil surgeons to personally look into the purchase and distribution of buprenorphine-naloxone in their respective districts and submit a report every week. After two and a half months, now the entire issue seems to be hitting a dead end as the Minister and the Principal Secretary are at loggerheads over the issue.

In the third week of January, when the Principal Secretary was on leave, the minister, citing reports of various civil surgeons, proposed to just issue a warning to the erring centres, thereby allowing them go off the hook.

Sources said last week Aggarwal again sent the file to the minister, opposing the move and seeking action under the NDPS Act as per the original order.

Sidhu said, “I am a minister, I am accountable to the people. The NDPS charges are a serious issue. People can’t be punished in a hurry. What if one is found innocent later? We should conduct a thorough inquiry and if someone is found guilty, he must be punished as per the law.”

Aggarwal said that the matter was under the consideration of the government.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.