The year-long crisis in the Ayurvedic medicine industry in the State over the appointment of a State Licensing Authority (SLA) is expected to end soon.
N. Vimala, incumbent Deputy Drugs Controller (Ayurveda) and SLA, who had challenged government efforts to appoint a new person to the post, has returned to the department of Ayurveda Medical Education.
Ravi S. Menon, State Drugs Controller, told The Hindu on Saturday that Dr. Vimala, who was on deputation, had joined the Government Ayurveda College, Thiruvananthapuram, as Head of the Department of Rasashasthra. “The government will soon appoint a new SLA,” he said.
The stalemate had its origin in May last when the tenure of Dr. Vimala came to an end and the government decided not to give her an extension. She challenged the efforts to appoint a new person to the post, both at the State Administrative Tribunal and in the High Court, and the Ayurvedic medicine manufacturers were not able to either renew their licences or apply for fresh ones. This pushed many units, especially small-scale companies, to the brink of closure.
Sources in the Health Department said the government had reached an understanding with Dr. Vimala and she agreed to go back to her parent department with a promotion. It is learnt that a senior doctor, who is right now with the Government Ayurveda College, Tripunithura, Ernakulam, is expected to be appointed as new SLA on deputation.
Special rules are also being framed to promote senior officials in the Drugs Control Department as Deputy Drugs Controller (Ayurveda), to put an end to the current practice of picking officials on deputation for the post, the sources said.
Meanwhile, Ayurvedic medicine manufacturers have demanded that the government stop the practice of appointing the licensing authority on deputation and create an independent post for the purpose.
D. Ramanathan, general secretary of the Ayurveda Medicine Manufacturers Organisation of India, said though the government had been getting subsidy and funds from the Union Ministry of Ayush to carve out a separate mechanism, the authorities seemed to be dragging their feet.
