The Union ministry of Ayush has turned down the demand of the ayurvedic fraternity in Kerala to include one member from Kerala in the newly formed Ayurveda Siddha Unani Drugs Technical Advisory Board (ASUDTAB).

“The ASUDTAB has been reconstituted as per section 33C (2) of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, which fixes the total number of members as twenty. India is a country having 29 states and 7 union territories (UT). Therefore, the representation of each and every state/UT could not be ensured in the member panel of ASUDTAB”, the ministry has clarified.

The ASUDTAB was reconstituted on April 13 this year with 20 members from Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani systems vide section 33 C of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. But the Board does not have a member from Kerala to represent the Ayurveda industry which comprises manufacturers, traders, practitioners, traditional healers and medicinal plant cultivators besides a large number of followers of the system. The reason for their claim for representation in the Board is that Kerala is the home of the ancient holistic healing system, and 70 per cent of the stakeholders are from Kerala.

Unfortunately, the ministry of Ayush has not considered any of these positive aspects while selecting the members to the panel. It has also not given any consideration for the Ayurveda sector in Karnataka which also claims rich heritage of the system with a strong backup of big manufacturers and practitioners. Surprisingly, the ministry has absorbed four members from Tamil Nadu in the Board to represent Siddha system.

As soon as the announcement of the formation of the Board came out in April last year, the Kerala based Ayurveda Medicine Manufacturers Organisation of India (AMMOI) and the practitioners association (AMAI) have been demanding to the government to review its decision and consider a member from the state. But, the government has ignored both the organisations' request.

Dr. Ramanathan, secretary of AMMOI, said the government can do amendments in this matter and select a member from the industry side as special invitee to the committee.