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| Realty Check: No trusted testing for Jammu’s Rs 350 Cr drug market | | | SALMAN NIZAMI
JAMMU MAY 28: Jammu may be a market absorbing drugs worth more than 350 crore per annum, it may be playing host to more than 8,000 wholesale and retail drug shops and it may have witnessed an immense increase in drug consumption over the last more than a decade of turmoil- However the Drug control department in Jammu continues to function in a primitive style that too without any adequate technical staff, field staff and above all the important equipments for drug testing. So, who knows how many sub-standard drugs must be circulating in the market for the consumption of the hapless masses.
Early Times has reliably learnt through the sources in department that the equipments for drug testing have never been upgraded in the laboratory of the department. Sources in the department said that trilation system for drug testing – continues to be used for drug testing in the laboratory and modern methods, which give computerized results, are still a for cry for the drug control department in Jammu.
In the most of the states in India, methods or equipments like high pressure liquid chromatography ( HPLC), photo meters are used for drug testing and computerized results are obtained . These methods ensure better results apart from being easy and speedy. What is more surprising is the fact that the Drug and food control department lacks man – power both in fields and laboratory. Reliable sources confirmed to the Early Times that only 10% staff is of total requirement is available to the department. While there is a terrible need of drug inspectors and assistant drug inspectors in the field , the laboratory of the department is run by a nominal strength of technical staff which has hardly under gone any training in sync with the modern day needs. As per the sources in the department there are no drug analysts , senior lab technicians and scientific officers available for ensuring proper drug testing. Going by the standard procedure , there should be one drug inspector for every 100 shops but in the entire Jammu province only six drug inspectors and as many assistant drug inspectors. According to the sources these 14 people are holding charge of two districts each. Consequently the sample collection from the field is not done in a desired manner. Reports from many places like Banihal, Ramban. Doda, Kishtwar, Rajouri suggest that the field staff of the drug control department also tend to take their assignments easy thanks to the evolution of an imperfect system in the department.
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