A delegation of the Pondicherry Drug Manufacturers Association (PDMA), along with Chemists and Druggists Association there, will soon approach the government of the Union Territory with an appeal to appoint a director to the UT's Drugs Control Directorate.

Preparations are on to collect maximum signatures and representations as the problems faced by the Association members have worsened after the retirement of the assistant commissioner in-charge, the only one responsible person the department had, last month, it is learnt.

Senior officials in the health department have advised the PDMA office-bearers to wait for one month for a concrete decision from the government.

Informed sources said that there are many reasons for the current state of affairs in the department. In addition to the vacancies for the position of drug inspectors, the department is finding it difficult to fill key posts like that of director, analyst and assistant commissioner. Not only the manufacturing units are in trouble because of this unpleasant situation, but also the existing and new pharmacies in the territory. Some of them have ceased their operations, they said.

In the drugs control directorate of Pondicherry, there has been no regular director for the last 35 years, but the charge used to be held by the director of Medical Services, said a senior officer in the department. But, the entire administrative work in the office used to be handled by the assistant commissioner. Currently the power of licensing authority has been temporarily given to a chemist in the public health laboratory, who is not experienced in law enforcement as per Drugs and Cosmetics Act, the officer told Pharmabiz.

A Karunakaran, secretary of PDMA told Pharmabiz that the units are facing problems due to shortage of manpower in the directorate as the papers they are submitting for renewal of licenses or for new licenses are pending with the department. He said it is high time the government appointed a head for the department. Another office-bearer of the association said they would approach the DCGI and the Union Health Ministry in this regard.

The sources said that even after one month of the retirement of Deenadayalan, the assistant commissioner, no positive step has been taken by the Department to fill the vacancy. One drug inspector, who was on suspension until last month, has been reinstated following court order, but that doesn't help the situation in the office, the sources said.

Following repeated protests from the industry in the beginning of this year, the directorate had started issuing licenses and product endorsement certificates to the pharma units and traders three months ago. But it got stopped with the retirement of the assistant commissioner. The situation adversely affects more than one hundred odd manufacturers in the state, the source said.