The Tamil Nadu branch of Indian Siddha Medical Graduates’ Association (ISMGA) in a memorandum to the Central Registrar of Co-operative Societies demanded measures to remove the unregistered practitioners of Indian System of Medicines from the membership list of Indian Medical Practitioner’s Cooperative Pharmacy and Stores Limited (Impcops) located in Chennai.

The Association has also demanded the Central Registrar to direct the Board of Directors to issue an order of removal of all such unqualified members with immediate effect and declare their memberships as invalid retrospectively from the date of enrolment. The Siddha graduates further wanted a direction from the central authority asking Impcops to call a special general meeting for the purpose of resolving the matter that was referred in the letter sent by the Registrar to Impcops secretary, last year.

The Association alleged that the enquiry report of the additional registrar of the cooperative society, Chennai has thrown sufficient light to prove irregularities occurred in the membership enrolment of the institution. They said based on the reports of the Central Society, it should be examined from records whether all the members of Impcops have the medical registration certificates approved by the Government Medical Councils.

According to ISMGA, more than 2000 quack practitioners of Indian medicine have been enrolled as members of Impcops. This shows that the institution has committed offences under Sections 104 (4) (i) & (iii) and 105 of the Multi State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002, and Section 17 (4) of the Indian Medicine Central Council Act, 1970 by allowing more than 2000 quack practitioners to get enrolled as members of Impcops.

The Association’s another allegation is that Impcops is promoting quackery in the system of Indian Medicine which causes big harm to the system and to the society.

Despite repeated attempts to contact the Impcops secretary, he was not available for comments.