MARGAO
The Legal Metrology department on Friday cracked a whip against two pharmacies and a distributor and seized six imported oximeters, 197 N95 masks and 12 steam inhalers.
Acting on a complaint lodged by Goacan, the Legal Metrology team found that the packages did not bear the mandatory declarations as required by law.
The raid was conducted by Legal Metrology inspector D N Mapari under the guidance of Controller Prasad Shirodkar, Assistant Controller for Packaged Commodities A N Panchwadkar and under the supervision of Nitin Purushan Assistant Controller South Zone. Pascoal Vaz And Melvin Furtado assisted in the raid.
Meanwhile, Goacan has written to the DFDA, Legal Metrology for action against pharmacies and shops selling oximeters, KN95 masks in violation of PCR.
The NGO has called on the Directorate of Food & Drugs Administration to issue necessary directions to all the chemists and druggists to sell only those imported products that have the required importers’ name and licence number displayed on the package to avoid penalties for violations under the Packaged Commodities Rules (PCR).
In a letter to FDA Director Jyothi Sardesai, Goacan pointed out that a complaint was received about the sale of pulse oximeters with labels in violation of the Packaged Commodity Rules. Oximeters are in huge demand in the markets in time of the pandemic.
In another letter to the Controller Legal Metrology Prasad S Shirodkar, Goacan has pointed out that besides oximeters being sold in pharmacies, KN95 protective masks devoid of any label displaying name of the importer and licence number, date of manufacture, import and MRP were being sold in shops selling mobile phones.
Goacan has for taluka-level Legal Metrology inspectors to conduct inspections and book cases under the Packaged Commodities Rules against violators.
