Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 11 2010:
Personnel of the Narcotics and Border Affairs and Narocotics Control Bureau have been raiding the godowns of the stockists supplying medicines in Manipur and intercepting medicines from the transporters without issuing seizure memo just to mint money, Manipur Chemists and Druggists' Association (MCDA) has alleged.
Talking to mediapersons at its Rupmahal Tank office today, MCDA secretary RK Ratan lamented that while there is shortage of life saving drugs in the State following the recent economic blockade along the National Highways, officials of Narcotics and Affairs of Border (NAB) and Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) have been intercepting the legally approved medicines brought to Imphal and taking money without issuing any seizure memo.
He pointed out that Government of India has given legal sanction to selling of medicines like Codeine Preparation, Sinarest, Benovate-N, Peptica Tablets, Metrogyl Gel, etc which are prescribed for treatment of various diseases like Cancer, Cough, TB, Stomach ailment and Skin diseases and such medicines are being brought to Manipur on the basis of the drug licenses given by the State Health Department.
So, there is nothing illegal about these medicines.
But Narcotics officials have been conducting raids at the godowns and intercepting the transporters from bringing the said drugs these medicines to Manipur.
Yesterday itself, Narcotics did not allow unloading a consignment of Benovate-N shipped through Reliable Cargo Mover.
It was only after some money had been given that the restriction was lifted, the MCDA secretary disclosed, while questioning why the restriction is being imposed even on Sinarest tablets which is prescribed for cough.
Demanding to know whether there is a new Act in force in Manipur, the secretary wanted to know what are the medicines which are legal and which are illegal if there is a such an Act.
To ensure that the medicines taken from the stockists by the pharmacies for sale in other districts and Moreh are not intercepted and money taken from the pharmacies, the Association has also warned of closing down wholesaling of medicines as well as transportation of medicines from outside Manipur if the State Government, its Health Department and the Narcotics do not come up with a list of the medicinal components that should be sold and the quantity of the medicines that could be brought in within the next 48 hours.