The online registration and renewal of licence for pharmacies introduced by the Food Safety and Drug Administration Department is facing technical glitches leading to delay in the processing of licence, according to pharmacy operators.
Though pharmacy operators have been asked to apply online for registration and renewal, the facility is yet to be enabled in the department's website.
According to sources in the department, pharmacies have been asked to approach Government-run e-sevai centres for completing registration and renewal of licence.
However, pharmacy owners complain that some of the e-sevai centres are not accepting the application as they are yet to be notified about the service.
The department had issued a notification stating that the processing of licence would go online from July 23, 2018.
According to officials with the department, they are currently processing only applications that were received before July 23 and those pending.
“Mainly two licences namely ‘20’ and ‘21’ are required for operating pharmacies. Each licence costs ₹1,500 and they have to be renewed after five years. A majority of the applications received were for the renewal of licence,” said a source.
According to office-bearers of Tamil Nadu Chemists and Druggists Association, more than 5,000 pharmacies are doing business in Coimbatore zone, comprising Coimbatore, the Nilgiris, Tirupur and Erode districts.
Around 2,500 medical shops and around 300 wholesale pharmacy shops are operating in Coimbatore district.
Association joint secretary A. Thirunavukkarasu said that problem is also faced in the payment of fee for the licence. He said that acknowledgement of payment of the fee is not processed properly in the online application service.
