Srinagar: Wholesale and retail dealers in
pharmaceutical products today staged a protest here against
the Jammu and Kashmir government`s new drug policy, claiming
that it would severely affect their trade.
The pharma traders assembled at Residency Road and
marched towards Clock Tower at Lal Chowk where they sat on a
dharna, officials said.
Police urged the protesters to disperse peacefully as
their assembly was illegal in view of Section 144 CrPC being
in effect in the city but they refused, prompting the police
to resort to lathicharge and spraying of water cannons to
bring the agitators under control.
There were no report of anyone getting injured in the
police action, officials said, adding that one person was
detained.
The new drug policy envisages rationalising the number of
drug licences in the state. As per the policy, only those
drugs on the essential drugs list would be procured and the
drugs would be selected taking into account the demand, lead
time, transportation and emergency needs.
An inventory control system has also been put in place to
prevent excessive stocking of medicines.
PTI
