New Delhi: To examine the feasibility of resuming export of alcohol-based hand sanitiser amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the central drugs controller has asked states and union territories to submit by Friday noon details of manufacturers, their production capacity and if they fulfill domestic demand.
The government had on May 6 banned exports of alcohol-based hand sanitiser to ensure its availability in the domestic market as the novel coronavirus cases soared in the country.
In a letter to the State and UT Drug Controllers on Wednesday, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has sought details of hand sanitiser manufacturers, including their names and addresses, average production capacity, and average actual monthly production in April 2020.
The DGCI has also sought to know whether the domestic supply request is being fulfilled by the firms and if the manufacturers have adequate supply and easy availability of raw materials such as ethanol and isopropyl alcohol.
"In view of the present situation due to outbreak of COVID-19 to assess the present situation of production, sufficiency of availability in domestic market and excess production (if any) of hand sanitiser in order to examine its feasibility for export purpose, it is requested to provide the following information of the manufacturing details of hand sanitiser," the letter stated.