Even as the Maharashtra FDA and the protesting pharma traders in the state could not find a solution to the issues even after several rounds of talks between them, state chief minister Prithviraj Chavan has convened a meeting in the late evening today to find a lasting solution to the issues faced by the traders including the issue of presence of qualified pharmacists in the pharmacy outlets.

Besides the chief minister, senior FDA officials, representatives from Maharashtra State Chemist and Druggist Association (MSCDA), Retail Druggist and Chemist Association (RDCA) and All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) will be part of the meeting today.

Anil Navandar, president, MSCDA said, "We would be surrendering the licenses if our demands are not fulfilled with a practical approach based on consensus and rationality."

Besides the issue of misuse of Sec 18 A of Pharmacy Act by the state authorities to force manufacturers to supply medicines to unauthorised stockists, other pending issues which will be taken up in the meeting include strict actions against doctors who store medicines illegally and to form a committee for issuing guidelines related to suspension of licenses by the authorities with a practical approach.