Punjab FDA Introduces Police Protection To Regulators During Raids

Chennai, 8 April 2019: The regulators of the Punjab Food & Drug Administration will soon get police protection during raids and checking at the premises of medicine shops and food selling outlets and restaurants.

The police department will depute one constable to the enforcement staff as police cover while engaging in the enforcement job of FSSA and D&C Act, sources informed.

According to FDA sources, following the recent heinous murder of the Mohali SLA, Neha Shoree, the Food & Drug Administration officials across Punjab have intensified their demand for police protection for site inspections. A letter written to the state police chief by the FDA Commissioner of Punjab says that apart from the murder of the SLA in her office building on March 30, there was another incident of firing on air by one vendor on FSSA regulators team at Batala in Gurudaspur on March 1 this year during seizure of food samples.

In the wake of increasing incidents of resistance and retaliation by medicine sellers and food vendors, the FDA Commissioner has wanted the director general of police to provide police protection to the enforcement officials under the FDA department. All over Punjab, law enforcing has become vulnerable to attacks on officials by violators; so the government is taking preventive measures to check any untoward incident in future, an official said.

In a letter to the DGP, Satish Chandra, the FDA commissioner wanted the state police chief to direct all senior superintendents of police to provide one constable on priority basis to the FDA regulators as and when required by the team for the purpose of enforcement of Food Safety & Standard Act and Drugs & Cosmetics Act.

Welcoming the decision of the government, G S Chawla, secretary of Punjab Chemists Association (PCA) told Pharmabiz that the government should initiate strict legal action against drug mafia in the state. The association condemned the cruel killing of Neha Shoree. Regarding police protection to drug inspectors during inspections, Chawla said if the regulatory officers are satisfied with police protection, it should be implemented. For a peaceful trade atmosphere, government should take strict action against drug mafia.

Dr. Harmesh Kumar, member of Punjab state pharmacy council and Chairman of Gurukul Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Fatehgarh Sahib in Punjab, said it is the responsibility of the government to provide adequate protection to the enforcement officers during their work time. He said some criminals having link with government and media are indulging in illegal activities.

Responding to the decision of the Punjab government, Suman Tiwari, joint director of FDA Jharkhand and office-bearer of drugs control officers association, said all the state FDAs should follow the example of Punjab government as everywhere the regulatory officials are facing threat. He said for smooth and proper implementation of the drug laws, the offices of the FDA should be attached with police force.

Deepak Trehan, secretary of Pharmacy Graduates Welfare Association (PGWA) and senior pharmacist at the government dispensary in South Delhi, said there should be a pan-India security cover for the drug control officers working all over the country. Pharmabiz