With popular hospital chains and pharmaceutical companies preparing to set up retail outlets, 5,000 retail chemists in the state see a threat to their survival

Dehradun, December 26
For years they served their customers well, often advising those suffering minor ailments on the most effective medicine, winning their trust and confidence.

At other times they were caught on the wrong side of the law and booked for selling spurious medicines. However, this time round, they are in the limelight for an altogether new situation brought about by the demands of globalisation.

Wholesalers and retail chemists have begun to feel the heat with popular hospital chains and pharmaceutical companies setting up retail outlets (counters) for medicines, elbowing out chemists and wholesale traders from the unorganised sector.

Sources say the Uttarakhand government has given the go-ahead for setting up of retail outlets and within the next few months these would have spread tentacles in most towns.

Braving the onslaught are 5,000 retailers and wholesalers who are unhappy with the situation that would impact 1.5 lakh families. Members owing allegiance to the Uttaranchal Medical Traders Union, which is affiliated to the All-India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD), held a bandh on December 15, pleading with the government not to allow the entry of retail chains.

Reliance, Subhiksha and Apollo Hospital have already begun preparations for setting up counters at Dehradun, Haldwani, Roorkee and Haridwar. Retail medicine counters promise a 24-hour sale of medicines of pharmaceutical companies at rates lower than those of existing chemist stores.

Undeniably, the price of generic medicine increases four times as it reaches the consumer. According to rough estimates, there is a 30 per cent jump in the price of medicines as it reaches the consumer. It is here that the retail counters are expected to make a difference and wean the costumers away from established chemist shops.

As the new entrants (retail medical stores) will provide medicines directly procured from pharmaceutical companies, the prices cannot be raised arbitrarily. “The consumer is bound to benefit with the coming of MNC retail counters, with the price of medicines drastically slashed and a check on the sale of spurious medicines.

However, small businesses are bound to be affected,” said Alok Ghildiyal, central government counsel.

A total of 250 licensed chemist shops and 200 wholesalers in Dehradun will be affected with MNCs/ hospital chains setting up retail counters.

“These retail counter stores have already had a run as part of malls in big cities. Because there was a dearth of customers there, the MNCs are now eyeing small towns to wrest business from small chemists and druggists, whose very survival is under threat,” said Dinesh Pant, general secretary of the Uttaranchal Medical Traders Union.

The competition posed by the MNCs is expected to annihilate small businesses. “The MNCs, in a stealth move, are setting up retail counters and franchises in small towns to invest their already earned money,” said Pant.

Aware of the problem of plenty, the association members want the government to come clear on the policy of issuance of drug licences to chemist stores, that are far too many in the city.

“We want the government to come clean on the policy of issuance of licence. The population that a chemist shop is catering to in an area must be considered before issuing licence to another chemist in the neighbourhood. This would automatically bring down the number of chemist shops,” opined Sudhir Kumar Jain, president, Chemist Association, Dehradun.

There is trouble for wholesale suppliers of medicines too. The margin of profit for them is in the range of 3 per cent to 5 per cent and there is a strong possibility that retail counters will not procure medicines from them.

“Surely, we will be out of business as the new retail medicine counters will rely on companies of their choice for procuring medicine that would in all probability be outside the state. We are a worried and our business is bound to suffer,” rued Yogesh Gupta, President, Doon Chemists Whole sale Association.

This despite the fact that multinational retail counters can easily make profit on getting large supply orders.

The fear of wholesalers and druggists is not unjustified “as the mechanism of retailing is such that they can reach anywhere and attract every class of consumer. W we will soon be without business,” said a rather distressed Gupta.

“In the entire exercise, the Consumer’s interest should be protected. The consumers often complain that most drug stores do not give proper receipts and information about the medicine that is being purchased and may thus opt for retail medicine counters ,” said Dr SK Kulshresth of the Doon Consumer Action and Protection Society.

The Uttaranchal Trade Union has already formulated plans to counter the entry of MNC-led retail counters. “We have to plan ahead otherwise we will be ruined. We plan a centralised hub with direct link with chemists and wholesalers. This experiment is already on in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. It’s the only way we can protect our interests or we are gone,” said Dinesh Pant.

Dehradun, December 26
They used paint and brush to voice their opposition to terrorism at a five-day art camp at Welham Boys School that began today. The camp on “Voice of Art Against Terrorism” saw the participation of 20 artists from all over the country. Their message was strong and simple; there is hope and peace in the distant horizon as the cycle of fear and terror is bound to end.

Anil Goswami, a product of Kala Bhawan, Vishwa Bharati, Kala Niketan, pictures are emphatic that the modern man is a juggler; he has to juggle several roles in life. On a chess board, he plans and plots in a meditative and contemplative mood. Goswami uses only black and white.

Satadru Sovan Banduri, a New Media artist, also a product of Shanti Niketan and a Fulbright scholar (California University) typifies the modern age. There is a picture of the Taj on fire with a little girl praying for peace. “The other painting which I will be working on during the camp is a homage to the Indian Army, with India Gate in the background,” informs Satadru.

Niki Bhagat, an architect based in Dehradun, was tempted to pick up her paint brushes after 40 years. The painting, still in the nascent stages, depicts a view through a smashed glass. “ The message is one of hope, I am using acrylic texturing to enhance the gloom that will disappear only with the view emerging from the glass, that of hope, highlighted with the use of green,” she explained. Self-taught, Monu Bhatnagar is a geochemist. She uses blue to symbolise hope, blue dominates the canvas. Her painting has a hollow dead tree, signifying terrorism and an emerging moon that gives the message of peace and tranquility.

Balbir Bodh from Himachal Pradesh is on his first visit to Dehradun. He decided to attend the camp to lend voice to a cause. “Artists react to happenings through their paintings. Our paintings speak for us. Hence, I decided to participate in this camp against terrorism.” The artists will donate their paintings (two each) to Jago, an NGO against terrorism. “These then together with 40 other paintings also donated by artists from the UK, the USA, Israel, France, Italy and Spain will then be auctioned at the American Center in New Delhi in January next,” said Dr Dipankar Roy, state president of JAGO.

Dehradun, December 26
In a bid to promote extra-curricular activities among children, Gunjan, a voluntary organisation, held a painting competition at Gandhi Park, Dehradun, yesterday. Disclosing the objectives of the competition, Mahipal Singh Kandari, one of the organisers said: “Over the years we have a sole aim of providing a platform to talented youngsters to showcase their painting skills and encourage them.”

The competition was divided into three categories including students, teachers, and parents. Within the student category, it was sub-divided into four groups. Group A consisted of student from class 1 to 4, Group B from of 5th to 8th, Group C 9th and 10th and Group D college students.

As many as 300 students participated in the contest, which is being held for the last 17 years and is immensely popular.

Results

Group A: 1. Vivek 2. Aishwarya 3. Akhil Kangra Group B: 1. Meghna Goyal 2. Nikhil Duggal 3. Anubhav Sajwan

Group C: 1. Meenakshi 2. Aankush Tyal 3. Francis Group D: 1. Veer Singh 2. Kaynaat Jreen 3 Tezpal Saini