Ayurvedic drug manufacturers are upset over the frequent harassment by the forest officials as they insist on obtaining transit permit/pass (TP) for taking out cultivated raw materials from the fields. The industry fears that if the situation persist it will be difficult for the ASU units to keep up with the increasing losses they are suffering due to the difficulty in obtaining the raw materials in time.

As per the rule, only forest products that are being transported from one place to the other, needs to have an authorised TP issued by the forest department. Whereas, the raw materials that are 'cultivated' for the use in ayurvedic formulations does not fall under the category of forest product and are thus exempted form the requirement of TP. In fact, it is the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) who is authorised to certify the cultivators with the requisite documentation and not the forest department.

However, the Ayurvedic Drug Manufacturers' Association (ADMA) pointed out that unlike the provisions enlisted in the law, the ASU manufacturers and cultivators often fall pray to the red tape that exist in the system in spite of having all the relevant papers with them. “Lack of proper interpretation of the existing laws is one of the major factors leading to the victimisation of the cultivators. It is high time for the government to take some pro active steps for clarifying and setting the facts right on this issue by sensitising the forest officials about the authority and requisite laws,” informed Chandrakanth Bhanushali, general secretary, ADMA.

A senior expert from the industry pointed out that most of the cultivators today are forced to get a TP along with the NMPB certification to escape the unnecessary problems arising out of the  bureaucratic set up. However, he stressed that even getting the TP is a time consuming and cumbersome process that the cultivators have to go through forcing many cultivators to stop the cultivation of the medicinal plant raw materials which may eventually pose a threat to ayurveda industry.

Expressing his concern over this trend, Prabodh Shah, president, Gujarat Ayurvedic Aushadh Manufacturers Association (GAAMA) stressed that getting access to plant raw materials is already an issue that the industry is grappling with. “Things will only get complicated further, if the cultivators stop cultivating due to harassment, putting  pressure on the industry. It must be understood that raw materials derived within a designated time frame is a must for us, to ensure delivery of high quality products. Undue delay in getting the products to us is slowly killing the industry and we hope that the government will take necessary action to help us,” he urged.