From Our Special Correspondent
Silchar, Sept 7: In its meeting with the Inspector of Drugs, Sukhen Mazumdar at his office, Grahak Surakhsa Samiti (GSS) has raised certain questions about the retail drug dealers of Cachar. According to Biplob Kumar Goswami, general secretary, GSS, every drug dealer or shop should have a pharmacist and without such competent person, there can be no selling of drugs by the owner. But, the information that comes to the GSS from various sources tell a different story. A rough estimate says that 70% of the shops dealing in drugs have no pharmacist. Not only that, the me of a single pharmacist is found in use in five or six drug-shops.
Most of the chemists and druggists do issue receipts against the purchase of medicines. Still, the information is that around 10% of them fail to provide the customers with the receipts. This sort of practice, Goswami said, has to be stopped immediately and necessary corrective measures have to be taken. Members of the consumers’ body expressed their concern at the reported business in medicines being carried out by a good number of shops without having proper drug license. This is quite worrisome and also hazardous to human health.
GSS feels all these irregularities and anomalies being carried out by some or more irresponsible drug dealers should be severely dealt with. The defaulters should be made to understand that there would be no compromise with the errant shopkeepers or drug dealers. If any harm is done to any person for taking medicines from uuthorized medical stores, even the State government will never like to intervene and come to the help of the persons in difficulty. As per the standing rules, a medical shop has to be inspected by the drug authority at least three times a year.
Goswami wanted to know from the inspector of drugs if such mandatory directive is being followed. He conveyed him the important message to ensure this mandate is strictly followed. No scope or space should be created to allow the drug dealers to play with the lives of people by resorting to unfair means. The general impression about drug inspectors is that they do the work of supervision by sitting in the office instead of making on the spot visits of shops. During the talks, important issues related to generic medicine and other matters came up.
The inspector of drugs assured the members of GSS that he has taken note of the concern of the members and it will be his utmost endeavour to see that the areas of lacue are elimited in the larger interest of the people in general. Among others who met the inspector of drugs, Sukhen Mazumdar, included Dr Sourindra Kumar Bhattacharjee, president, Dr Dipankar rayan, vice president and others.