Functioning at most offices of the Karnataka drugs control department has come to a standstill despite the state government appointing Dr. RG Desai as the acting drugs controller.

The main reason for sagging activities in the drugs control department is twin responsibilities thrust upon Dr. Desai now. He is the head of the directorate of health and family welfare and also the drug controller. With too many meetings in various offices, he is hard pressed for time to attend to the needs of drug control department. This has resulted in a lackadaisical attitude among the drugs department staff. There is absolutely no initiative from him as the acting drugs controller. Apart from this, Dr. Desai is also expected to superannuate in September.

All the changes introduced by the former drugs controller Dr. K Suresh Muhammed has now been discontinued. Dr. Desai comes to the drugs control department only for two hours and hardly any work is done. The plans to improve the overall efficiency of the department and make it as a 'model' department for the entire country, which was a dream plan of the Dr. Suresh Muhammed is now squashed, informed sources said.

Even the first-ever Consultative Committee for the drug-testing laboratory has not met after Dr. Suresh Muhammed left. It may be recalled that Dr. Suresh Muhammed was forced to leave the department following a writ petition filed by Dr. K Premanand Shetty, former drugs controller to oust him on the grounds that he did not qualify to be appointed to the post of drugs controller because he was an officer of the Indian Police Service (IPS) with a degree in medicine (MBBS) and in management (MBA) having no prior experience in drugs manufacture or testing or exposure to the enforcement of the provisions of the D&C Act.

Currently, the drugs control department has no intention to continue the changes brought in by the erstwhile drugs controller. There are no initiatives to hold meetings and the approvals for the levy of a fee for the issue of all types of certificates has not taken off. The team represented by officials from the drugs control department and pharmacy trade sector who were working to submit a status report on the distribution of medical shops in the State has been halted, added the sources.

On the trade front inspectors are going in for mandatory check. Officials from the trade pointed out there was nothing happening although drug inspectors made their routine visits. There is however no information on the unethical practices among the trade sector too. But it is seen that the drugs control inspection drives keep the sector on their toes, informed sources.

After Dr. Desai retires, it is expected that the State government would immediately appoint a new drugs controller and in all likelihood it would be an officer from the department.