After spurious drugs, flood-hit medicines reach far-flung areas

Won’t allow vested interests to succeed: Taj

After spurious drugs, the murky business of flood-affected medicines has reached the rural areas of Kashmir with ‘unscrupulous elements’ smuggling flood hit medicines to far-flung villages and towns across Kashmir.

Sources told that after state government launched a crackdown on medicine-dealers in Srinagar city sealing more than 10 pharmacy shops.” Some unscrupulous elements have now started selling these drugs in rural areas to earn quick money.”
“ There is an apprehension that unscrupulous elements will try to pump such medicines in north and south Kashmir as huge quantity of flood-affected medicines in Srinagar city are yet to be destroyed, as main hub of the medicine trade Karan Nagar and other adjoining areas remained submerged for more than two weeks,” they said.
In Kashmir after floods many pharmaceutical dealers were caught selling drugs which remained submerged in the flood waters for a long time.
As per experts, these drugs could prove fatal after consumption and they need to be destroyed at the earliest.
Talking to Greater Kashmir, Health Minister Taj Mohiuddin said that state government is proactive in dealing with the menace of sale of flood hit drugs.
“After reports about flood-hit drugs may be pumped in the rural areas and small villages, we have mobilized our teams in each and every district in order to stop any such activity,” he said.
He added that more than 10-licenses of medical dealers have been suspended after they were found guilty of selling flood hit medicines. “It is a shame that drug dealers are selling infected drugs to their brethren at this time of crisis, despite the medical companies having assured them that they would take back the flood-hit drugs. But we fail to understand why they are doing this,” Taj said and added that government would continue to intensify its drive against sale of flood-affected medicines.
Meanwhile, the members of Chemist and Druggist Association (CDA) have strongly condemned the action of those dealers who were found selling flood-hit medicines.
“ It is an unpardonable sin which they have committed,” said Fayaz Azad, member of CDA.
He added that all the members of the CDA have been warned that if anybody is found selling contaminated drugs, they would be suspended from the membership of association.” We have advised all the dealers and retailers to destroy the flood-affected medicines,” he said.
President Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Ashiq called for
“Social Boycott of medicine dealers selling flood-hit drugs.”
“ It is highly deplorable act committed by medicine dealers. Strict action would be taken against them so that it acts as deterrent for others,” he added.

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