KARNAL, MAY 20 — Retail pharmacies throughout the district suspended normal operations on Wednesday to protest the unchecked expansion of online drug sales and the absence of stringent regulatory frameworks for digital platforms.
The industrial action, organized by the Karnal Chemists and Druggists Association, followed a nationwide mobilization directive issued by the All India Chemists and Druggists Association. While a high percentage of retail establishments locked their doors, organizers introduced a rotating schedule among select storefronts to ensure basic medicine distribution was maintained during extreme summer temperatures.
“The rapid rise of illegal e-pharmacy operations is seriously affecting the traditional medicine distribution system and posing risks to public health,” Karnal Association President Ram Parshad Goel stated. “Medicines are being sold online without valid prescriptions from registered doctors.”
Goel, alongside other executive members, voiced concerns regarding the emergence of automated, artificial intelligence-generated medical slips. The association maintained that these digital fabrications are frequently used to procure controlled substances via online portals that lack thorough authentication systems.
Local data shows that the district encompasses roughly 1,200 licensed chemist operations, with the vast majority participating in the shutdown. To mitigate the impact on urgent medical needs, internal pharmacies situated within private hospitals and state-run Jan Aushadhi Kendras remained fully operational throughout the day.
Despite the contingency measures, numerous residents reported traveling significant distances to secure essential prescriptions, incurring unexpected transit costs. Industry representatives stated that traditional retailers are experiencing severe financial losses due to the unmonitored digital market, prompting demands for the central government to implement an immediate tracking mechanism to protect consumer safety and restore commercial equity.
