STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: In order to put pressure on the government for rolling back its decision of allotting medical shops in government hospitals to an outsider company ‘Sanyog’, the Jammu based chemists on Wednesday decided to go on 72-hour bandh from 2nd February, 2017 against the government’s move.
The decision to hold the strike was taken in a meeting of pharma traders of both retail and wholesalers associations convened under the chairmanship of J and K Chemists & Druggists Association (JKCDA) Rohit Sharma here.
The pharma traders alleged that the tendering process adopted by the government was designed with malafide intent for allotting these shops to the aforesaid firm and all the quotations/offers received in lieu of NIT were quoted by the same persons who are either Directors or Partners in different firms.
They further alleged the aforementioned chain which has been allotted these shops in the name of Sanyog Enterprises Pvt. Ltd, Delhi is a ‘favourite’ of Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) authorities. Many medicines supplied by the aforesaid firm to the J and K Medical Supplies Corporation have been found substandard, they added.
While stressing that there are enough medical shops outside Bakshi Nagar Hospital, President Jammu Chemists Association (JCA), Naveen Bali questioned government’s interest in allotting 57 shops to a single Delhi based firm.
He further said that it is unreasonable to open shops inside all government hospitals which will offer medicines at higher prices, thereby, affecting both their businesses and the ailing customers. They would call off the strike only if the government gives them a written assurance to rollback its decision, he added.
The Jammu based chemists also observed a token strike and kept their establishments outside Government Medical College & Hospital Bakshi Nagar, Govt Hospital Gandhi Nagar, SMGS Hospital Shalamar and Govt Hospital Sarwal closed for the whole day.
Pertinent to mention that Chamber of Commerce and Industry has also rendered its support to pharma traders in their protest against the government’s decision.
