In a proactive measure that was appreciated by the phama exporters in the country, the Drugs Controller General of India Dr Surinder Singh instantly resolved the issue of procedural delay in giving certificates for clearance of goods from Mumbai port. The issue has been pending for some time and the exporters have been running from pillar to post get the issue somehow resolved.

At a meeting held in Mumbai on May 27 between the DCGI and a delegation of  Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council (Pharmexcil), the DCGI spontaneously agreed to grant No Objection Certificates (NOC) to the aggrieved exporters by the end of the day on 27th May 2011, provided all documents are submitted by the affected members to CDSCO Office at Mumbai. This immediate issuance of NOC was agreed as an urgent relief measure to mitigate the problems of exporters whose consignments are held up at Mumbai Port.

There were some exporters who welcomed the proactive approach of DCGI but were not able to submit the documents on May 27. For the them, the DCGI office has asked Pharmexcil to collect all the applications of aggrieved exporters and submit the same to his office by June 2. The DCGI has given the assurance that within 24 hours his office will issue the NOC and will send it back to Pharmexcil.

The Pharmexcil delegation, led by COA (Committee Of Administration) member Bhavin Mehta, consisted of around 25 aggrieved exporters and three other COA members--- Devang Shah, Dipak Desai and Samir Shah.  Raghuveer Kini, Pharmexcil's Additional Executive Director, was also present in the meeting.

The pharma exporters have been facing the issue of non-clearance of goods at Mumbai port for some time. Last month, the Pharmexcil had taken a representation of around 10 to 12 exporters whose containers were stuck at Mumbai port and due to procedural issues at ADC JNPT, the results of the representation was not very effective. And the matter was then referred to the DCGI.

When contacted, Pharmexcil's COA member Bhavin Mehta said, “Dr Singh very much understood the issues of our exporters, and was of the opinion that commerce should not stop due to some procedural issues and Industry and CDSCO office needs to work hand in glove in order to over come these issues.”