The All Kerala Chemists and Druggists Association (AKCDA) plans to approach District Magistrates and District Child Protection Units (DCPUs) to request an extension of the deadline for installing CCTV surveillance cameras in their shops. They also seek exemptions for small-scale traders with a daily turnover below Rs. 1,500, as well as shops located away from educational institutions.
The Association’s president, AN Mohan, has called for an immediate Executive Committee meeting following a directive from the district collector and magistrate of Malappuram. This directive mandates medical shop owners to install CCTV cameras within 30 days, with similar orders expected soon from other district magistrates.
The district collector, acting as the district magistrate, issued this order in response to a directive from the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR). According to updated Standard Operating Procedures from NCPCR, all medical shops selling Schedule X, H, and H1 drugs nationwide must install CCTV cameras inside and outside their premises, alongside adopting computerized billing systems. The initiative aims to curb the illegal sale of these drugs to minors and prevent drug abuse.
The district magistrate’s communication, reviewed by Pharmabiz, references a 2019 identification by the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment of 272 vulnerable districts prone to drug abuse, including Malappuram in Kerala. In response, NCPCR, in collaboration with the Narcotics Control Bureau, has developed a joint action plan to combat drug abuse among children and illicit trafficking, focusing on areas around schools and childcare institutions.
In accordance with this plan, selling Schedule H, H1, and X drugs to minors without a valid prescription will be deemed illegal. AN Mohan emphasized that the NCPCR has directed district collectors to enforce Section 133 of the Cr PC to mandate CCTV installations in pharmacies selling these drugs in vulnerable districts.
Mohan outlined three main demands: first, sufficient time for compliance with the directives; second, exemptions for small-scale retailers; and third, full exemption for medical shops located away from educational institutions. He intends to meet with the district collector soon to address these concerns.