Apprehending their imminent eviction from the campus of government-run hospitals following the launch of ‘Niramaya’, a free drug distribution scheme, medicine retailers are preparing to take legal recourse for continuing vending.
The members of the Orissa Campus Chemists’ Association (OCCA), a union of campus medicine retailers, said they were mulling approaching the courts seeking rescinding of the government’s decision to get rid of campus medicine stores. The OCCA convened an emergency general body meeting to discuss the issue here on Sunday.
“The Odisha government has made budgetary provision of Rs.200 crore for the Niramaya scheme under which free medicines will be supplied. Compared to this, 17,000 medicine retailers in the State have total business transaction worth close to Rs.2,400 crore annually. It is difficult to replace existing drug trade overnight,” said Prabir Das, vice-president of the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists.
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Mr. Das said: “Medicine retailers are not opposed to free medicine distribution schemes. But we want the government should come up with a mechanism wherein it implements Niramaya scheme without affecting the livelihood of medicine retailers.”
He added: “The government will deal with 550 molecules under its free drug distribution scheme. But most retailers trade between 24,000 and 35,000 medicine brands. There is absolutely no competition. People should be given options.”
“The Niramaya scheme has been conceptualised without proper consultation. For past 11 years, meeting of the Drug Advisory Committee has not been convened even for once. As proper study on Niramaya scheme is yet to be conducted, medicine retailers should not be asked to leave campuses,” Mr. Das said.
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President of Utkal Chemist and Druggist Association Prasant Mohapatra suggested that every on-campus medicine retailer should approach the courts to get relief. The OCCA demanded that the government must spell out a proper rehabilitation scheme for medicine retailers.
The State government has now started denying long-term renewal of license for on-campus medicine stores. The OCCA sources said some retailers from Bolangir, Sambalpur and Rairakhol had already moved court against the government’s refusal for long-term renewal.
“We want the government to come up with a mechanism wherein the Niramaya scheme is implemented without affecting our livelihood”