Kolkata: Bengal Chemists & Druggist Association (BCDA) has proposed to join hands with Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), in a bid to strengthen dengue awareness campaign in the city. BCDA has already written to Mayor Firhad Hakim about their plan and has also held a meeting with Deputy Mayor Atin Ghosh, who is in charge of KMCs health department. Hakim on Thursday attended the inaugural centenary celebration programme of BCDA at Nazrul Manch. "We want to take up dengue awareness in collaboration with KMC. The medicine shops in the city will sport awareness materials about the vector-borne disease. We are also taking part in the massive dengue rally that will be organised by KMC on February 8, spreading awareness and precautionary measures against the disease," said Sajal Gangopadhyay, honorary general secretary, BCDA. BCDA also handed over a cheque of Rs 10 lakh to the Mayor, as part of their contribution to the Chief Ministers Relief Fund. BCDA, presently having 40,000 members across the state, had started its journey on January 9, 1921. "We will continue our movement pressing for revoking GST on medicines. The percentage of GST to be levied on different medicines varies in the range of 5 to 28 percent and the medicine shops have been facing a daunting task in preparing vouchers and other nitty gritties. The chemists and druggists are being constantly threatened of penalty due to mismatch with the GST vouchers at times," said Sankha Roy Chowdhury, president of BCDA. Author Sirshendu Mukhopadhyay, who was felicitated by BCDA at the programme, also cried foul over GST in medicines and called for its withdrawal. "You (BCDA) continue to organise movement against GST on medicines and I will be supporting you in my own possible way," he added. He urged BCDA to develop a single window system, so that emergency medicines can be delivered at the doorstep during night time. "This will be of great help, particularly to the elderly or those who live alone," he maintained.

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