Fake antibiotic drugs, abortion-inducing medicines worth Rs 40 lakh seized in Gujarat
Ahmedabad (PTI): Fake antibiotic drugs and medicines used to induce abortion worth nearly Rs 40 lakh have been seized from two different locations in Gujarat's Sabarkantha district, an official said Friday. Two persons have been detained for questioning, he said.
Based on a tip-off, officials of the Gujarat Food and Drug Control Administration (FDCA) raided a medical shop in the Girdharnagar area of Himmatnagar on Thursday and seized a large quantity of fake antibiotic drugs, said a release by FDCA Commissioner HG Koshia.
The seizure included fake antibiotic medicines, claiming to contain components like cefixime, azithromycin and bacillus, worth Rs 25 lakh, said Koshia. These actual antibiotics are used for the treatment of serious diseases.
The name of the manufacturer mentioned on the medicines was Meg Life Sciences, Sirmaur, Himachal Pradesh'. When officials contacted Himachal Pradesh's drug controller, it was revealed that no such company exists.
When the shop owner Harsh Thakkar could not produce any sale or purchase bills for these medicines, it was established that these drugs were fake, said the release.
While four samples of seized medicines were sent to a Vadodara-based laboratory for analysis, Thakkar is being questioned to find out the source of these fake medicines, said officials.
Later during the day, the FDCA team raided a house near Himmatnagar town hall and seized abortifacient (abortion-inducing drugs), and other medicines worth Rs 12.74 lakh.
It was revealed that the owner of Swaminarayan Medical Agency, Dhaval Patel, had stored these medicines for illegal sale at his residence without acquiring any permission from the authorities.
FDCA said it will initiate court proceedings as per the law against Thakkar and Patel after receipt of the laboratory results. Both are now being questioned to find out from whom they used to acquire these medicines and to whom they were selling them, said the release.
The development comes days after authorities seized fake antibiotic drugs worth Rs 17.5 lakh in raids across various cities of Gujarat and detained four persons.
FDCA had said that some of these persons worked as medical representatives of "benami" companies and used to deliver fake medicines to doctors.
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Karnataka govt directs municipal corps to regulate, prohibit pigeon feeding
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has issued directions to municipal corporations across the state to regulate and prohibit feeding pigeons in public places, citing serious public health concerns.
Deputy Secretary to Government V Lakshmikanth has written to the Urban Development Department requesting it to issue directions to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and all municipal corporations to take immediate steps to implement the measures.
In an official note dated December 16 issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department and released to the media on Wednesday, the department said uncontrolled feeding of pigeons in public places has resulted in large congregations of birds, excessive droppings and serious health concerns, particularly respiratory illnesses linked to prolonged exposure to pigeon droppings and feathers such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis and other lung diseases.
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"The commissioner, the Greater Bengaluru Authority and the Commissioners and chief officers of other municipal corporations shall take necessary action to mitigate the causes of dangerous disease spread by pigeon and enforce specified guidelines in their respective jurisdiction," the note said.
According to the department, these include a prohibition on feeding pigeons or causing pigeons to be fed in areas where it may cause nuisance or pose a health hazard to the public. Pigeon feeding shall be permitted only in designated areas in a controlled manner, subject to certain conditions.
"The designated areas may be selected in consultation with stakeholders. The responsibility for upkeep of the designated areas and compliance to the directions shall be taken up by some charitable organisation or an NGO. The feeding in designated areas shall be permitted only for some limited hours in the day," it said.
The note further stated that authorised officers of local authorities shall issue on-the-spot warnings and may impose fines for violation of the order, or lodge complaints to prosecute offenders under Sections 271 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 272 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
It also directed local authorities to conduct public awareness campaigns, including the display of signboards, banners and digital messages, explaining the health hazards associated with pigeon droppings and feathers, the content of the regulatory directions and penalties for violations, and alternative humane methods of bird conservation that do not endanger public health.
