The government has initiated changes in the administration of Drugs Control Department following the recent detection of fake drug manufacturing units in Puducherry.

The government in an order designated Deputy Chief Electoral Officer M. Kandasamy as the Head of Office in the Department of Drugs Control in Puducherry with immediate effect.

In a related notification, the government has appointed Pharmacist (Allopathy), Indira Gandhi Government General Hospital and Postgraduate Institute V. Rajendiran, who has been temporarily entrusted with the charge of the Department of Drugs Control, as Licensing Authority and Controlling Authority for the whole of the Union Territory.

However, the appointment as Licensing Authority would not confer any administrative or financial powers to Mr. Rajendiran. The Licensing Authority would submit a weekly report containing the details of applications received, licences issued and pending applications for the purpose of monitoring and review to the Secretary to Government (Health), the notification said.