Srinagar, June 13: Differences between two ministries of the coalition government led by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in Jammu and Kashmir have come to the surface on the issue of spurious drugs seized in raids conducted a few months ago by consumer affairs ministry. Taking "serious" note of release of 43 out of 52 spurious drugs seized from various medical establishments during the raids, the consumer affairs minister Taj Mohiuddin has sought clarifications from his cabinet colleague in-charge of health and medical education, Choudhary Lal Singh, on the issue, highly placed government sources said.


They said of the 52 allegedly spurious drugs seized, only nine have been sent to laboratory for examination while 43 drugs were released by the state drug controller allegedly at the behest of the health minister.

The consumer affairs minister, in a communication to the health minister, has sought clarification on what grounds drug controller had released 43 such samples without forwarding them to the laboratory for testing and obtaining reports from the laboratories, the sources said.

The consumer affairs minister is facing a peculiar situation as this issue has been raised by many opposition members in the assembly through cut motions, scheduled to come up tomorrow, where the minister has to speak on the grants of his ministry.
Bureau Report