People are getting hand sanitizers in the liquor bottles of 180 ml, 90 ml etc. The empty bottles of liquor were reused by the manufacturer marketing sanitizer without any licence. This shocking fact was unearthed by officials of Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) Nagpur division during the special drive conducted by FDA in last two weeks on overcharging of masks and sanitizers during the COVID-19 epidemic.
Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) Maharashtra started a special drive on unethical marketing of masks and hand sanitizers in the entire State. FDA Maharashtra has seized stock worth Rs. 1.80 crore hand sanitizers and masks based on 10,339 inspections over the past two weeks. According to Dr P M Ballal, senior Drugs Inspector, Intelligence Branch FDA Nagpur Division, “During the last week Nagpur FDA had conducted 84 inspections as a part of this special drive across the state. Total 32 cases were registered against the traders for overcharging the masks. These cases were referred to Department of Legal Metrology.” “FDA had conducted four raids on the units manufacturing the sanitisers without any licence and seized property worth Rs 7.33 lakhs.
In Nagpur division FDA had granted 22 licences to manufacture sanitisers. These units include two distillery units and one sugar factory. Also 12 licences were issued to the units for manufacturing oxygen. The licences were issued to tackle shortage of sanitisers and oxygen during COVID-19 epidemic,” he added. “FDA Drugs Inspector, Satish Chouhan raided the premises of M/S Royal Drinks and found that the sanitsers were manufactured and packed in liquor bottle. The stock of sanitisers worth Rs 26 lakhs found during the raids was prohibited from selling in market. The action against will be taken after the investigation and under sections of different acts,” Dr Ballal stated.
“In another raid, a huge stock of masks worth Rs 6.50 lakhs was seized for overcharging from M/A Bhivsariya Agencies,” he added. FDA Maharashtra is acting tuff with the masks and sanitisers and resolved around 121 cases of non-compliance to Essential Commodities (EC) Order and Drugs and Cosmetics (D&C) Act over the past two weeks based on 404 calls at Toll free number 1800222365 and 022 26592362/ 26592263/ 26592365. Maharashtra FDA has also appealed to the citizens to report all issues related to unavailability of medicines and black marketing of essential drugs and products on these toll free numbers.
No.of inspections : 84
No.of cases where Overcharging observed (Referred to Dept. Of Legal Metrology) : 32
No. of raids conducted against Manufacturing of Sanitizers without Licence – 4
Total seized Property worth Rs 7,33,000/-
Prohibited Sanitizers found being misused as Liquor from M/s Royal Drinks : Rs 26 lakh
Huge stock of masks seized during raid for overcharging, from M/s Bhivasariya Agency : Rs 6,50,000
