By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 6 Dec: Following the instructions of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, the drive against fake or banned drugs in Uttarakhand has been intensified. According to Health Secretary Dr R Rajesh Kumar, the Food Safety and Drug Control Administration has been conducting raids across the state to crack down on illegal drugs and fake medicines. Over the past year, the department has raided 862 establishments and collected samples for testing. Investigations into 52 samples are underway. Action is being taken to cancel the licences of two companies, and criminal cases have been recommended against five companies.
Health Secretary/Commissioner of Food Safety and Drug Control Administration, Dr R Rajesh Kumar today claimed that the campaign against illegal drugs and fake medicines is continuously being carried out on the instructions of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Health Minister Dr Dhan Singh Rawat. Dr Kumar emphasised that strict legal action will be taken against those who manufacture banned, fake or substandard medicines. He assured that efforts to prevent drug abuse will continue with full intensity and that measures will be enforced against companies producing or selling illegal drugs.
The statement of the Health Secretary comes in the wake of the latest development in Sahaspur in Dehradun where a unit granted licence to manufacture herbal products was raided after it came to light that it was engaged in manufacture of banned narcotic drugs. During the raids, 1,921 capsules/tablets, 592 bottles of syrup, and 342 empty wrappers were recovered from the factory.
Drug Controller Tajbar Jaggi revealed that drugs for intoxication were being manufactured at the Herbal Green Factory under a food licence obtained in 2023. The narcotic drugs being produced did not have a valid licence, making the manufacturing activities illegal. The seized medicines have been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for testing to determine the components used.
Jaggi stated that the psychoactive drugs being manufactured at the factory could lead to a state of intoxication if consumed excessively. The increasing trend of such drugs as alternatives to traditional forms of intoxication is a major cause of concern. He claimed that the department is committed to exposing the entire operation and ensuring strict punishment for the culprits.
He also shared that the department has conducted 862 raids in the past year, collecting 352 legal samples for investigation. Currently, 35 products are under scrutiny. Action is being taken to cancel the drug manufacturing licences of two companies and to ban the sale of products from 72 companies and initiate legal proceedings against five companies. Sales licences for ten companies are recommended for cancellation, and premises of six companies have been sealed. Additionally, 81 licences have been suspended in Kumaon, and licences of nine companies have been cancelled. The licences of 11 drug manufacturing companies have also been suspended.
