Bhubaneswar, July 26: The Justice A.S. Naidu Commission recommended that medicine manufacturing units should have separate workshops for alcoholic and non-alcoholic liquids.

“The alcoholic liquid section should be under control of the excise and drugs department with double lock-and-key system. The non-alcoholic liquid section should be under control of the drugs department,” the commission said.

The report of the commission along with the action taken report was placed in the Assembly today.

The panel had inquired into the death of 41 persons in Cuttack and Khurda districts in February 2012 after consuming medicinal preparations containing alcohol.

It suggested that officers of the drugs department should be at liberty to visit both alcoholic and non-alcoholic sections of the manufacturing units as their visits could prevent manufacturing of spurious, adulterated and substandard drugs. The same way excise officials should be allowed to visit non-alcoholic units to rule out manufacturing of alcoholic medicines by procuring spirit from clandestine sources.

The commission was categorical that permission should not be accorded by the drugs controller for manufacturing of medicines with alcoholic strength above 20 per cent volume by volume. The panel also recommended the constitution of a multi-disciplinary squad consisting of selected officers from excise, drugs, police and forest departments to collect intelligence and conduct raids to unearth illicit liquor, drug abuse and circulation of medicinal preparations for consumption as ordinary alcoholic beverage.

Justice Naidu suggested that homeopathic shops should be inspected by authorised officers of drug administration at least twice a month and random samples of mother tinctures should be drawn for chemical examination. The inspection notes should be submitted to the drugs controller with a copy thereof to the government within three days of their visit to the shops. Besides, all industrial units using methanol should be kept under double lock and key and no operation in these units should be carried out except under the supervision of excise officials.

While the panel suggested regular exchange of information among drug administration, excise and police officials about intelligence on import, export, storage and sale of methanol under various names, it called for identification and closure of all unlicensed and unauthorised counters and sales outlets of medicines by the drugs department.

The commission also wanted the authorities concerned to pursue the Drugs Controller General of India to ban drugs, which are identified as prone to be misused for consumption as ordinary alcoholic beverage because of their high-alcohol content.