Drug regulator issues notice to Amazon, Flipkart for alleged sale of spurious cosmetics
New Delhi, Oct 23: E-commerce giants -Amazon and Flipkart- have been issued notices by the country's drug regulator DCGI for allegedly selling "spurious and adulterated" cosmetics including imported brands, and have been warned of penal actions in case of failing to respond within 10 days.
The notice from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) follows raids by drug inspectors at various locations across the country on October 5-6, during which they found that some indigenously manufactured cosmetics without valid manufacturing licence and having ingredients imported without necessary registration certificates were being sold on the e-commerce platforms.
The law provides for penal actions ranging from monetary fine to imprisonment for sale of such "unapproved" products.
When contacted, an Amazon India spokesperson told PTI the company takes strict action against sellers of "illegal or fake products" as and when such incidents are reported to it.
"Amazon.in is a third-party marketplace which enables sellers to list their products for sale to Indian customers. Sellers on Amazon.in own their respective products and are responsible for product compliances, as may be applicable.
"Amazon.in has a very high bar of customer experience and does take strict action against sellers who are selling illegal or fake products...in accordance with the due process of law, as and when such incidents are reported to us," the spokesperson said.
Among cosmetics being sold by these websites included imported brands without valid documents and containing ingredients in the "negative list" of the BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards).
Asking the companies to reply to its notice within 10 days, the DGCI has warned them of penal action for "offering for sale, sale and distribution of spurious, adulterated cosmetics and cosmetics manufactured without valid licence in contravention of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940."
"In case, you fail to submit the reply within the stipulated period, it will be presumed that you have no reply to offer and appropriate action as deemed fit will be initiated against you," DCGI S Eswara Reddy said in the notice.
Under the Drug and Cosmetics Act, it is mandatory to get a registration certificate for import of cosmetics into India, while all cosmetics manufactured in the country need to have a valid licence.
Besides, cosmetics need to conform to the standards laid down by the BIS and cannot have any ingredient mentioned in its negative list.
A similar notice was also issued to the Indiamart, another e-commerce website, Reddy said. Reactions from Flipkart and Indiamart were not immediately available.
Illegal cosmetics estimated to be worth Rs four crore were seized during pan-India raids carried out after which the central drug regulator lodged five FIRs across three cities -- Mumbai, Pune and Delhi -- against manufacturers who were making these cosmetics without licence.
Asserting that the raids revealed the extent of illegal cosmetics in the market, Reddy also cautioned against purchase of such products.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
