The Hindu : New Delhi News : Drug Controllers unhappy with new address

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 27, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Drug Controllers unhappy with new address

By Bindu Shajan Perappadan

NEW DELHI, DEC. 26. The Delhi State Drugs Control Department seems to be having problems settling down at its new address. Having shifted from Sham Nath Marg to a new building at Karkardoma, the State Drug Controller, two Deputy Drug Controllers, five Assistant Controllers along with 29 inspectors claim that they have been shifted to "nothing better than a box''.

But the Department in charge of licensing, pricing and quality control of all drugs sold and manufactured in the city, is not just facing the problem of inadequate space. According to officials in the Department, "it is terribly short staffed and even at the drug testing facility at Lawrence Road, lifted samples have piled up due to shortage of staff''.

Things haven't really looked up despite many letters, reminders and representations, said an official.

"Having shifted to this new place on the fourth floor, we are trying to create space where there is none. All the top officials at the office are forced to sit in a large room with small cubicles with zero privacy. And about 29 inspectors are stuffed into another room. It is not the sharing of space that we are complaining about, what we are asking for is space to plan our raids and a proper space to compile the paper work that the Department generates. The Department also has a special intelligence unit which is responsible for carrying out surprise checks, planning out raids, use decoy customers and maintain records -- all this cannot be done effectively without having adequate space, which is what we have been asking for quiet a while from the government,'' said the Assistant Drugs Controller, Ravi Kant. But that isn't the only problem that the Department is facing.

The Department officials admit that the problem of shortage of staff is very real and that they are unable to cope with the field and office work they are expected to complete. "But what is really hampering work is the staff shortage at the testing facility in the Capital where collected samples remain unattended for weeks together. So even if raids are carried out and samples lifted to keep a check on quality, the entire effort is often futile,'' said an official.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

New Delhi