After setting up the Environmental Cell to address the concerns of the industry, the department of pharmaceuticals will take inputs from the companies and spell out the programmes to address them in a better way, even as international reports recently suggested high rate of pollution being caused by the pharma firms.

With a view to give better guidance and garner views from the companies, the pharma department is holding a seminar on January 30 on the environmental issues pertaining to pharma industry.

Besides presenting the programmes being planned by the cell, the meeting will also discuss on the comments from the industry. Representatives of FICCI, UNIDO, the pharma department and leading pharma companies will be attending the seminar, sources said. Pharma department secretary Ashok Kumar will also address the gathering.

The seminar assumes significance in the wake of recent reports by the international media on the concerns of disposal of biomedical waste and pollution caused by the companies especially in Andhra Pradesh. Besides suggesting more effective ways to handle the waste, the department is also planning to create a mechanism to help the companies easing hassles in getting clearance for pollution certificates.

The cell was created to interact with Ministry of Environment and Forest and other related departments and institutions on all environmental issues pertaining to the pharmaceutical sector. Joint secretary in the department Neelkamal Darbari is heading the cell, and is being assisted by deputy secretary Paresh Johri.

The delay in getting approval for non-pollution and hassles being put up by the officials have been some of the major worries of the new units and the associations have been calling for an effective coordination and intervention by the newly-created pharma department.

The active pharmaceutical ingredient players in the country, especially in the northern region, have taken up the matter several times with the government.