Amidst the second wave of the pandemic, lifesaving drugs to treat Covid-19 patients are reportedly in short supply and being sold at excessive prices in a thriving black market in some parts of the country. In a bid to prevent such a situation in Odisha, the State Government on Monday formed flying squads to check hoarding and black-marketing of drugs and medical supplies for treatment of Covid.
Total 22 flying squads have been formed, of which seven teams would be deployed in the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack and 15 would prevent hoarding and black-marketing of the medicines in rest of the State, said Crime Branch ADG Yashwant Jethwa on Monday. Notably, the Government has constituted a State-level committee headed by Jethwa to prevent and curb such activities. The district authorities have been directed to monitor the stocks of essential medical supplies and take corrective action as deemed fit.
The committee would supervise the district-wise positions of availability of essential medical supplies and ensure that the officers conducting the raids, search and seizure get full cooperation from various agencies, including police.