Drug Control officers to spruce up vigil and working of private Drug De-addiction Centre to be monitored and surprise checks to be conducted

Chandigarh: Deputy Chief Minister Punjab who is also the Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Om Parkash Soni directed all the Food and Drug Control officers posted in the districts to discharge their duties keeping in view the public interest.

In his first meeting with the officers at Punjab Bhawan on Friday, DCM categorically said," Gone are the days of arm twisting on the name of sampling. Ensure sampling to provide quality food to the public but at the same time no undue harassment of Food Business Operators(FBOs)would be tolerated."

             Deputy Chief Minister Punjab, OP Soni
Redefining the monthly sampling targets, OP Soni said that the District Health Officers should not conduct sampling for the sake of sampling or for meeting monthly targets rather they should conduct effective sampling that would help to weed out black sheep in the food trade and prevent the sale of substandard food items to the public.
"Ensuring the highest quality of food products for the people of the state is your primary responsibility; any deviation from the course of action will not be tolerated," said Soni.

On this occasion, DCM directed the Drug Control Officers to check the illegal sale of habit-forming drugs in the state. Refusing to permit the opening of more private drug de-addiction centres in the state, he said that evaluation of the performance of all existing de-addiction centres in the state is conducted, and thereafter if needed the permission for more centres will be granted. Condemning turning blind eye to the working of existing de-addiction centres, he said that monthly inspection be done and occasional surprise checks are made to ensure proper record of drugs purchased and supplied by these centres. "Most stringent action is taken if any mismatch in drug inventory is seen," said Soni.

He cautioned the officers to present in the meeting that any kind of corruption in the department would not be tolerated and immediate action would be taken against any officer/employee found guilty of the same.
He appealed to the people of the state that if any officer/employee of the Health and Family Welfare Department seeks a bribe, the information should be brought immediately to his notice.