Odisha: 23 Squads Formed To Check Black Marketing Of Remdesivir, Other Covid-19 Medicines And Supplies

Bhubaneswar: Amid experiences of scarcity and black advertising of Covid-19 medicines and medical provides in a number of components of the nation, the Odisha authorities has constituted a State-level Committee to make sure that such points don’t crop up right here.
The Committee might be headed by Crime Branch ADG Yashwant Jethwa. Already the committee had mentioned a number of points with Controller of Drugs yesterday.
Addressing a presser at this time, Jethwa stated that groups of flying squads, surveillance groups and shock checking groups from the enforcement wing of Drug Controller, Police, Special Task Force of Crime Branch might be a part of Joint Enforcement squad which can perform particular drives throughout the State.
“We have constituted 7 flying squads for Cuttack and Bhubaneswar and 15 squads for rests of Odisha. Our focus will be on the Twin City which is the entry point for all drugs and medicines and its distribution,” stated Jethwa.
According to Jethwa, the 15 different squads will conduct intensive drives in Berhampur, Rourkela, Sambalpur, Balasore, Bargarh and different necessary city centres within the State.
The senior cop additional acknowledged that the whole provide chain, from producers to brokers and even shoppers, might be verified. The motion of medicines and different important provides within the chain might be tracked and monitored. “If we come across any malpractice, hoarding or illegal trade, stern criminal action will be taken against them,” Jethwa warned.
While District SPs and vary DIGs will supervise the whole operation at district-level, Drugs Controller and senior officers of the Commissionerate Police will supervise the general working and enforcement actions within the Twin Cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar.
“We have not received any complaint of any irregularities in Odisha. But from media reports, we learnt that there are some instances of black marketing of Covid medicines in several other States in the country. The teams will conduct special raids, stocks will be verified and appropriate action in case of any malpractice will be initiated,” Jethwa added.