Govt seals 659 drug stores, 3 hospitals

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 24: The Government has closed 659 unregistered and unlicensed drug stores in the State since 2007.
This information was furnished to a written reply to the question of Mushtaq Ahmed Shah by Minister Incharge Health in the State Assembly today.
As per the information the Government has sealed 158 unlicensed and unregistered drug stores in the State during last three years. Among them 8 were closed in Jammu district while two in Kathua district, five in Samba district, 15 in Srinagar district, 10 in Ganderbal district, four in Bandipora district, 20 each  in Budgam and Baramulla districts, four in Kupwara, 19 in Anantnag, nine in Kulgam, 15 in Shopian and  26 in Pulwama.
In the reply Minister has stated that the department was duty bound to ensure strict adherence to the provisions of law by dispensing pharmacies and whatever policy and modalities are adopted to check operation of unlicensed shops is applicable to all parts of State.
The department is carrying out various activities to ensure that no person indulges in trade of medicines without holding a license under the provisions of law, the Minister stated in his reply.
He said the surveillance and checking raids are being conducted by the supervisory staff on regular basis to secure compliance with the provisions of law.
The Minister said during the survey three private hospitals-cum-nursing homes were sealed in Kashmir valley as they were not fulfilling the prescribed criteria.
They included Mehmooda Shaheen Medical Trust, Tulsi Bagh, Srinagar, G M Bhat Charitable Hospital, Wahthora and Al-Aziz Hospital Khayam Srinagar.