Chennai: Pharmacy in the city once again began selling essential items of importance such as face masks and sanitiser with a higher price than the fixed level of government.
State Health Department in June fixing a cap on retail prices of 15 essential medical items used in the treatment Covid-19.
Thus, N95 masks and surgical masks can not be sold each Rs 22 and Rs 5 per piece.
In the first few weeks, medical shops in the capital closely with the new pricing system.
But some stores claim that they are out of stock and sell only premium brand.
Nearly two months down the line because the number of cases Covid-19 has dropped, the situation is getting worse.
Many retailers do not pay attention to the current government order, according to the status check by TOI in half a dozen pharmacies in Adyar, Kotturpuram, velachery, Adambakkam and Madipakkam on Friday.
This independent drug stores offering masks in two qualities.
Customers, who bought the mask at a fixed level of thinking, equipped with the usual quality items.
Others, who are demanding better quality, made to pay double or three times as much.
On average, N95 and surgical masks are sold each Rs Rs 40-60 and 7-10.
One medical store in velachery actually sell the N95 mask at Rs 100 per piece.
When asked about this, apotekist claims that the elastic strap in the mask can be easily Rs 22, or threads may soon loosen.
The maximum retail prices (MRPs) are not printed on the wrapping several masks, but some others have a higher MRP printed on them.
Face shields and some hand sanitiser brand sold at a cost of 25% to 60% higher.
When contacted, a senior official of Tamil Nadu drugs control department said that they often carry out attacks at a pharmacy in the city recently, but they found no such complaints.
However, he believes it would take action against the shops, which are visited by TOI on Friday.
Commenting on the IT, KK Selvam of chemical Tamil Nadu and Drug Association said that they had advised all their member shops to comply with government orders.
The shop sells goods at a price fixed by the manufacturer.
Some additional technical specifications can result in higher retail costs, he said.