Money
Govt cracks down on drug stores
A number of drug stores in the valley have been found overcharging customers for medicinal products used in first aid. Quake-hit people have been forced to pay high pricesDuring the week following the earthquake, the Department of Commerce and Supply Management (DoCSM) took action against a number of outlets for selling substandard food products and bottled water besides overcharging customers.
On Tuesday, the joint market monitoring team questioned Sankir Pharmacy and Sajilo Aushadhi Pasal located in front of Bir Hospital, Ratna Park over accusations of overcharging customers for surgical equipment.
According to the DoCSM, Sankir Pharmacy had been selling BD Venflo Pro IV Canulla and JMS Infusion Set at Rs100 per unit when the maximum retail price of the product is Rs85. Earlier on Sunday, the department had initiated legal proceedings against the pharmacy for selling sanitary masks at inflated prices. The government said surgical equipment was in short supply due to the high number of earthquake injuries.
Similarly, Sajilo Aushadhi Pasal was caught selling the device at Rs130 per set. The product is used in giving saline water to patients. Ratnesh Shashi, monitoring officer at the department, said they took clarifications from these stores on Wednesday and handed their cases to the police under Black Market and Other Social Crime Punishment Act 1975.
According to him, the department has also asked for clarifications from four other drug stores, namely Hanuman Pharma, Ayush Pharmacy, Pabitra Progress Pharmacy and Thapathali Pharmacy located in the Ratna Park area. The department questioned these pharmacies after they failed to show a purchase invoice for the medical equipment.
Shashi said the department had intensified scrutiny of drug stores following a growing number of complaints that many of them had been overcharging for mainly surgical devices.
Earlier, the department had taken action against Bheri-Rapti Pharmacy of Maharajgunj, Om Sivan Pharmacy of Bansbari and Neelam Aushadhi Ghar of Tripureshwor for selling sanitary masks at inflated prices. These stores had been selling the masks at Rs10 when they cost only Rs5.