Cough syrup deaths: Annamalai alleges TN drug controllers did not attend training session
Madurai (PTI): Tamil Nadu BJP former president K Annamalai on Sunday alleged that the state's drug controllers never attended the training sessions held by the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission and sought explanation from Chief Minister M K Stalin.
His remarks come in the wake of the investigation against the Kanchipuram-based manufacturer of Coldrif cough syrup, linked to the deaths of children in Madhya Pradesh, has brought to light lapses by the Tamil Nadu Food and Drug Administration in enforcing basic regulatory norms.
Licensed in 2011 by the Tamil Nadu Food and Drug Administration (TNFDA), Sresan Pharma continued operations unchecked for over a decade despite its dismal infrastructure and multiple violations of national drug safety rules, Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation said.
The cough syrup was found to be dangerously adulterated with the highly poisonous substance Diethylene Glycol (DEG).
Speaking to reporters at Madurai airport, Annamalai said the chief minister should take responsibility for the lapses.
He asked, "If they (drug controllers) don't attend training sessions, how would they know that diethylene glycol (DEG) is a toxic substance."
He also said the union government has now decided to test drugs for harmful content post production as well.
"There are many stages to drug testing, but they are mostly tested during production. Now, the central government has announced that it will also check post production to plug all gaps in India's drug safety regulations," said Annamalai.
He said as it has come to light that the cough syrup had more than 300 quality violations. It is clear that drug controllers and inspectors of Tamil Nadu have not checked it at all, he claimed.
"The Tamil Nadu government is responsible for this and they should not only explain why this came to pass, but should also take responsibility. Just suspending a couple of drug inspectors and controllers will not do," he insisted.
Following the deaths of at least 20 children, most of whom were under five, in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, the owner of the pharma company manufacturing the cough syrup, G Ranganathan, was arrested by the police on October 9.
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Will continue to keep tab on development work in Bihar: Nitish to JD(U) MLAs
Patna (PTI): JD(U) president Nitish Kumar on Monday told party legislators that he will continue to keep a tab on the development work in Bihar despite having given up the chief minister's post a week ago.
Kumar addressed a meeting of the legislative party at 1, Anney Marg, which is the official residence of the chief minister and which the JD(U) supremo, now a Rajya Sabha MP, had occupied for nearly two decades.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, JD(U) MLC and spokesperson Neeraj Kumar said, "Our party leader has said that except for sessions of Parliament, which would require his presence in Delhi, he will spend his maximum time in Bihar."
"Nitish Kumar told us that he will ensure that the good work done while he was in power continues under the new government, in which the JD(U) is an important partner. To keep a tab, he will tour the state in due course," Neeraj Kumar said.
The JD(U) spokesperson was asked about speculations that the meeting had been convened to decide on the role to be assigned to Nishant, the party supremo's son, who joined the JD(U) last month, but has declined to accept a ministerial berth in the Samrat Choudhary government.
"There is no confusion about the role of Nishant, who has been accepted by the party as the leader of the future. In any case, there was no discussion on him today," Neeraj Kumar said.
Nitish Kumar has been authorised by the legislators to decide on choosing the legislative party leader, he added.
Among those present at the meeting were Union minister and former JD(U) national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh 'Lalan' and Deputy Chief Ministers Vijay Kumar Chaudhary and Bijendra Prasad Yadav.
Interestingly, don turned politician Anant Kumar Singh, who represents Mokama assembly seat, claimed after the meeting that MLAs were asked by the supreme leader to try and win "200 seats in the next elections".
"Nitish Kumar ji told us that he will now be more easily available for party workers and general public. He also said that he will extensively tour the state and asked us to work hard so that the party wins 200 seats in the next elections", said Singh, who is often in news for putting his foot in the mouth.
The Bihar assembly is 243-strong and the JD(U)'s current tally is 85, four less than ally BJP, which is the single largest party.
The JD(U)'s best-ever performance was in 2010, when it had contested 142 seats and won 115 of these. It was also the highest tally for any single party since Bihar's truncation in 2000, until when Jharkhand was part of the state and assembly had 324 seats.
