States told to adopt zero tolerance on black marketing: Centre

All states must ensure special teams at different levels to "mercilessly clamp down" on hoarding and black marketing of drugs during the COVID-19 pandemic and send a clear message that "trading in human miseries" shall not be tolerated, the Centre has told the Supreme Court.

In an affidavit filed in the apex court, the Centre has said the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had communicated to all state drugs controllers (SDCs) that there should be zero tolerance to any kind of hoarding or black marketing of drugs and also to instruct their enforcement staff to keep strict vigil and take stringent action.

It said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has requested state governments to take all necessary measures to stop black marketing or hoarding of drugs the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, The Essential Commodities Act and other applicable rules and regulations. ‘Nobody must be refused admission’ All central and state government hospitals managing

COVID patients have been directed to ensure that no patient is refused admission due to lack of a valid identity card and a positive test report for coronavirus, the Centre has told the Supreme Court.

In an affidavit on the points raised by the top court, the Centre submitted that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has intimated all state governments regarding the policy of setting up three-tier Health infrastructure for appropriate management of suspect/ confirmed COVID-19 cases.