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High Court directive to drug controller

CUTTACK: In a significant ruling, the Orissa High Court on Wednesday asked the State drugs controller to conduct regular raids on medicine manufacturing units, depots and chemists’ shops across the State and submit reports to the court on a regular basis.

In view of reports of fake and expiry medicines are widely available in State, the Wednesday’s order assumes significance as the HC is going to monitor the sensitive issue regularly.

Expressing shock over the matter, the division bench comprising Chief Justice A.K.Ganguly and Justice Indrajit Mohanty asked the drug controller Jagannath Mishra who was present in courtroom, to submit his first report on January 17 next. Mishra was summoned to the court along with State Export Promotion Marketing (EPM) director for a personal appearance in a case pertaining to spurious saline supply to government hospitals in 2000.

At least five patients including two newborns had died in SCB Medical College here seven years ago allegedly due to contaminated saline.

A PIL to this effect was filed in High Court with a prayer to direct the Central Bureau of Investigation to investigate into the cause of death of the patients and to unearth the racket in supply and purchase of fake drugs.

The HC however in August this year, had asked the then State vigilance director Gopal Chandra Nanda to personally enquire into the matter.

Nanda who has since been appointed as State Director General of Police, in his report to the HC had said: “In 2000, the saline was procured for government hospitals from as many as 25 companies which had no valid licence to produce drugs.”

He had also submitted a video CD to the HC showing how the medicine companies in the State are producing the drugs in absolute “unhygienic” conditions.

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