Shimla: Even as tragic memories about death of 12 infants at Udhampur (J&K) reportedly caused by Coldbest-PC cough syrup manufactured by Himachal Pradesh pharmaceutical company are still alive, the Kala-Amb based company is under shadows once again.
Cofset-AT, another cough syrup manufactured by the company, has been withdrawn from the market following a report sent by the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) Chandigarh.
The incidence happens during the Covid time sends alarms to the citizens, especially those using the controversial syrup for the infants.
State Drug Controller Navneet Marwah informed that the company which was already facing police investigations and a criminal FIR after death of 12 infants in Jammu and Kashmir, had sent supplies of around 3,000 bottles of syrup to states of West Bengal, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab.
"We have ordered that batch number DL 5200, D/M 09/19,D/E 9/21, manufactured in September 2019 should immediately be recalled. Our teams have taken the samples and follow-up action against the company was underway," he said.
Marwah claims that the matter was quite serious and all necessary legal provisions will be invoked against the erring company as matter relates to the health of the infants whose lives were being put in danger.
"The governments, both in the state and Centre have been informed about the action," he said.
Sukesh C Khajuria, a leading social activist in Jammu, who had already waged a war against the pharmaceutical company and had already approached the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) after death of 21 infants at Udhampur, demands restrict action against the company for putting lives of infants in danger.
"I will be writing to Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur seeking his intervention to initiate an exemplary action against the manufacturers and distributors. They should also be made liable to pay commission to the families of the children, who have lost their lives and others struggling between life and death–one such case also reported in Punjab," he told Millennium Post .
The NHRC has listed Khajuria's case for hearing on August 18 and before this, the Himachal Pradesh Chief Secretary and Union Health Secretary have been asked to file their replies.
"Before this, I have also written to Chief Minister of Punjab Capt Amarinder Singh drawing his attention towards the death of an infant and another girl child struggling between life and death due to spurious syrup in Patiala district," he said.