The government of Kerala may bring an amendment to the Kerala Spirituous Preparations (Control) Rules, which will compliment the Kerala Abkari Act 1966, in order to make the preparation and sale of arishtams and aasavams (spirituous preparations) are effectively regulated, it is learnt.

The state excise department, the enforcement authority of the Abkari Act, has recently called a meeting of selected ayurvedic manufacturers and regulatory officials of the state in Thiruvananthapuram and formed an expert committee to suggest steps to be taken for the proposed amendment. The committee under the chairmanship of Director of Health Services will complete its deliberations within three months and submit the report to a constitutional committee formed under 68 A of the Abkari Act.

When the amendment comes in force, the arishtams and aasavams will be sold only through licensed shops.

As per the proposed amendment, an ayurvedic doctor can keep arishtams and aasavams upto one hundred litre. Currently the allowed quantity is only five litres. Doctors representing the Ayurvedic Medical Association of India (AMAI) had earlier requested the government to raise the allowable quantity of arishtams from the existing five litres to one hundred litres. The government has in principle accepted the suggestions made by the doctors’ community.

According to information received, a doctor can keep 15 kinds of ‘arishtaasavams’ upto 100 litres in his clinic/shop at a time. The scheduled items are Desamoolarishtam, Jeevaarishtam, Abhayaarishtam, Amruthaarishtam, Balaarishtam, Asokaarishtam, Lokaasavam, Punarnavaasavam, Aswagandhaarishtam, Musthaarishtam, Daakshaarishtam, Pippiliaasavam, Sudarsanaarishtam, Kumaraasavam and Chandanaasavam.

Another important suggestion accepted by the government is that a registered ayurvedic physician can start five clinics or retail shops. Previously it was restricted to one. Dr V G Udayakumar, president of AMAI said the decision of the government will help save the ayurvedic sector from its present crisis and put an end to the illegal sale of ‘Arishtaasavams’ through unauthorized outlets.

In view of deficiency of qualified and registered doctors, the experts have made another suggestion that experienced sales men in the major GMP certified companies can be subjected to a written test and those who pass out can be allowed to deal with or sell ayurvedic preparations like arishtams and aasavams. The minimum qualification of the salesmen should be matriculation.

When contacted H Rahim, joint commissioner of Excise department who has been appointed as the Convener of the expert committee to suggest proposals for the amendment, said the proposal for the amendment is in the nascent stage and a final outcome will be out after three more sittings of the expert panel. He, however, said due to lack of proper rules the illegal sale of certain arishtams and aasavams are increasing in the rural areas of the state and poor people are becoming victims of spurious and not of standard quality preparations. Likewise, he added, the genuine ayurvedic doctors and retail shops are also badly impacted in the absence of proper rules.

The excise officer further said, in Kerala, the Spirituous Preparations (control) Rules were made based on the Central Act, Medicinal and Toilet Preparation (Excise Duties) Act, 1955 and added into the Kerala Abkari Act in order to control the sale of Arishtamaasavams.

Other than the DHS, the committee of experts include ayurvedic drug controller, Director of ISM, joint commissioner of excise, president of AMAI and a doctor from homoeopathy.