The foundation stone laying ceremony of the dream project of the Federation of Drug Traders of Andhra Pradesh, Sri Balaji FEDTAP Chemist Bhavan, a guest house for chemists & druggists in the country, concluded on May 30 at Tirupathi in Andhra Pradesh.

The director of Drugs Control Administration of Andhra Pradesh, M Kodanda Ram laid the foundation stone for the five storey building. The building is to be constructed by the Chemists and Druggists of Andhra Pradesh, and the construction work will be completed in one year time, said P Jagadishwar, president of FEDTAP.

FEDTAP is the federation of two associations of drug traders, Andhra Pradesh Drug Traders Association (APDTA) and Andhra Pradesh Chemists and Druggists Association (APCDA), working in the Telengana and Coastal and Rayalsima regions of the state.

According to sources, for getting affiliation to AIOCD, these two associations have merged into one, and now have a membership of more than 40,000 traders.

The building is in an area of one acre land and will be built at a cost of Rs 5 crore which will be collected as donations from members and other state organisations. JS Shinde, the president of AIOCD, has promised some funds for the project. There will be donations from pharma manufacturers and super stockists, said P Subramanyam, the secretary of FEDTAP.

While talking to Pharmabiz, Jagadishwar said the Chemist Bhavan, the first of its kind for chemists in the national level , will be a resting and staying facility for all the people of the pharma industry,regulatory staff and trade irrespective of caste and religion, who visit the holy land for Temple Darsan and other business purposes. Since Tirupathi is a global tourist destination, especially for pilgrimage purpose, facility for staying in the city is becoming too difficult for the visitors. The building will cater to the needs of all chemists from across the country when they wish to visit Tirupathi and there will be reductions in room-rents for chemists and pharmacists.

Speaking on the occasion, M Kodandaram, the Drugs Control Director has hailed the reforms being introduced by the drug traders of Andhra Pradesh and held the new attempt as an add on services by them. He asked them to finish the work as early as to make it a reality from its present planning. He hoped that the building would facilitate not only the chemist and druggist community, but also other people in the society.

Commenting on the new building which will be located on the airport road, the FEDTAP President said the guest house would comprise 100 rooms, two functional halls and parking cellar portion. Even though the charges will be nominal for the members, the guest house will have the facilities of star hotels. After the general body of FEDTAP, which is going to be held on 13th of June a Construction Committee will be formed to carry out the work.

PV Chandrasekar, treasurer FEDTAP, KP Ranga Rao, district president, Guntur District, PV Retnam, Chittur District president, A Sudhakar Reddy, Sarpanch, Timminaidupalem and YVV Sathyanarayana, assistant drugs controller, Tirupathy spoke on the occasion.