7 drug shops sealed in Kashmir, good response to help line

Srinagar, Sep 16 (UNI) The Drug and Food Control Organisation (DFCO) sealed seven unlicensed retail outlets of drugs shops in Kashmir after getting a positive response to ''help line'' set up by the health department.

This action was taken on the basis of complaints received from the people on the recently launched help line, officials said adding that the people here were openly coming out against the dealers selling substandard drugs or operating without licence.

However, only one complaint was received in Jammu against such dealers as compared to 11 in Kashmir. The complaint in Jammu was received against a government hospital for supplying expired drugs, official sources said.

Under help line, the aggrieved citizens can register their complaints against sale of substandard drugs, operation of unlicensed drug outlets, over charging of price substitution of medicines, sale of psychotropic drugs without prescription on the notified telephone number at Srinagar and Jammu.

Sources said in the first week of the launching of the help line, 11 complaints were received by the Srinagar office.

Seven complaints were found correct and their premises were sealed.

Inquiry of the remaining four complaints was still incomplete, sources added.

The help line was launched after a number of complaints were received about the drug dealers supplying substandard drugs to people.

Hundreds of unlicensed drug shops and laboratories were sealed by the department on the direction of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court last year in the state.

UNI