Solan: No stern laws, fake drug makers misusing industrial plots

Ambika Sharma

Solan, June 12

Spurious drug manufacturers continue to misuse industrial plots allotted to them even after their units have been sealed due to lack of concrete action by Industries and Power departments.

Several cases have come to light in the past few years wherein no action has been initiated against such manufacturers despite the Drugs Control Administration (DCA) informing the departments concerned about the unlawful activities.

Power supply intact, Plots not resumed

• In 2013 and 2016, DCA unearthed spurious drugs case at Vardhman Pharma, Kala Amb. The firm was operated by a couple
• Since the allotment of industrial plot wasn’t cancelled, their son floated another drug firm on same plot, sought licence in 2022
• Cipher Pharma in Baddi sealed in March this year after spurious drug seizure; the unit’s industrial plot has not been resumed, electricity connection intact too

The Cipher Pharmaceuticals’ unit at Gullerwala village in Baddi was sealed in March by the DCA after the seizure of spurious drugs, but neither was its plot allotment cancelled nor the power connection to the firm snapped. Navneet Marwaha, State Drugs Controller, however, claimed information pertaining to spurious drugs case was shared with the departments concerned for immediate action.

Deputy Director, Industries, Baddi, Sanjay Kanwar, said the plot at Gullerwala was freehold, which had been purchased by the firm and the Revenue Department was supposed to take action as the Industries Department had no authority to do so. There are more such cases. Trizal Formulation, Baddi, was found engaged in spurious drug manufacturing from Plot No. 29 at the Baddi industrial area in November 2022 even though the plot had not been transferred in its name.

The same plot was allotted to another industrial unit, Signature Steriles, which could not undertake manufacturing. This plot was yet to be transferred to Trizal Formulation when the spurious drugs case was unearthed.

Trizal had submitted a rent deed to obtain a power connection from HP State Electricity Board Limited since June 2022 even though the plot had not been allotted to it till then.

Being a commercial organisation, the staff of the power board did not bother to find if Trizal Formulation had a manufacturing licence or not.

The DCA had unearthed another spurious drugs case at Vardhman Pharma, Kala Amb, Sirmaur district. In 2013 and 2016, officials had raided the premises where a large cache of spurious drugs was found. The firm was operated by a couple. Their son floated another firm Dutch Formulation on the same plot and sought a drug licence for it in 2022 as the Industries Department did not cancel the plot.

The plea for licence was, however, rejected by the government months later on the basis that the family was involved in spurious drug trade.

The state government has reportedly not bothered to introduce stringent provisions to stop such offenders from reusing industrial plots for spurious manufacturing.