The Pharmaceutical Distributors Organisation (PDO) in Tamil Nadu has urged the state government to subsidise the electricity charges to the retail pharmacy stores and drug depots of the state to comply with the government order of modernization of retail and wholesale pharma shops in the state.

Early this year, the state drugs controller had instructed all the retail medical shops and wholesale depots in the state to install air conditioners, refrigerators and computers in their shops and to enclose the rooms with glass panes for a proper storage of medicines so as to retain the potency and efficacy of the medicines.

As soon as the instruction came from the drugs controller, the branded drug distributors on behalf of the retailers and also for wholesalers had requested the government to give subsidy in electricity bills of pharmacy stores and stock depots. But so far the government has taken no positive step in favour of the traders in this regard, said L. Satheesh Kothari, president PDO.

He said the traders including the retailers are willing to install all the facilities for renovation of the places to improve the pharma business but the government must lend a helping hand as subsidy while charging fees for consuming additional power.

"While placing air-conditioners, computers and refrigerators, very big consumption of electricity is required. Our revenue margins are limited as we are under control category. We cannot raise the prices of the products. If the subsidy is given to the business shops, it will be convenient to comply with all the instructions", Kothari said.

The PDO will soon submit a memorandum to the chief minister and state health minister detailing about the problems being faced by the trader community due to the government order. If the government was not willing to give concession, many shops will be forced to close in the near future. In Chennai alone there are a total of 3500 pharmacy stores.