The Pharmaceutical Traders Association of Bengal (PTAB) has alleged that the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) is going slow in taking action against the violators of DPCO in West Bengal.

This lax attitude of the central price monitoring agency gives the impression that it is in connivance with certain pharma companies in West Bengal. The charge was made by PTAB secretary, Pranab Kumar Chakraborti, in response to a case related to non-supply of essential drugs by Kolkata based Beacon Pharmaceuticals to a member of the association.

According to Chakraborti, PTAB is not ruling out a nexus between  the director (Monitoring & Enforcement) of NPPA and the Beacon Pharmaceuticals as NPPA did not initiate any action against the company one year ago. He said the NPPA is deliberately delaying the matter without any reason and that indirectly helps the company to break the rules.

Beacon Pharma stopped the supply of essential drugs to Sarama Enterprises of Burdwan district one year ago.

When this reporter contacted Beacon Pharma in Kolkata, its senior manager Rajaram Bannerji said in West Bengal the mode of operation is different from other states, and they did not want to violate any rule.

He said that there are some local formalities prevailing in the state because of trade unionism that pestering the company seriously. He said his company is supplying medicines to those stockists who have membership with Bengal Chemists & Druggists Association (BCDA). The PTAB member, Sarama Enterprises of Burdwan district is not a member of BCDA, which is the largest trade body in the state. Since its district secretary has given strict instruction to the company not to supply medicines to its non-members, the company has stopped supply to Sarama, Rajaram said.

When asked whether it is the violation of Para 18 of the DPCO, he said “We are not actually violating the laws, and we don’t want to do so. But the situation in West Bengal is such that we are being pestered by the unions. Here, there are a lot of unions and organizations, and the largest of them is the BCDA. We are a small company, we don’t have any problem with any stockist. But we are sticking on the same policy of local formalities’ compliance.”

Later while speaking to Dr Chintamony Ghosh, the director of drugs control, West Bengal, said that he did not get any complaint. However he said that he will look into the matter.

On the director’s advice, when this reporter contacted the assistant director, A K Seena who is in charge of Burdwan district, he said this is an issue to be sorted out by the NPPA. The central agency can initiate action against the company as per essential commodities act. He said this problem can easily be solved by the company and the traders. Seena, however, said that he would intervene in the matter as the case is related to supply of essential drugs.

While speaking to Pharmabiz, Chakraborti said the NPPA is admitting the fault of Beacon Pharmaceuticals, but they are lagging in doing their duties. He said the state branch of a national trade body is behind the stopping of supply of drugs by the company and it is against all rules. PTAB will soon approach the union health minister and take the problems with the prime minister also, he vented.

According to him, after a report appeared in Pharmabiz about non-supply of medicines by Zydus Cadila Healthcare Ltd, the company has immediately restarted the supply. But the manufacturer from West Bengal is repeated   violator of rules with deliberate intention to wreck the business of pharma traders in the state.