• Nanjangud MLA Harshavardhan says high-level pressure to reopen Pharma co.
• PIL filed in Karnataka High Court on grounds of negligence

Mysore/Mysuru: While the authorities of Mysuru District Administration are grappling to discover the origin of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) at Nanjangud’s Jubilant Generics, the epicentre of the disease in the district, a report sent by Pune-based National Institute of Virology (NIV) said that the container imported from China by the pharma company did not carry the virus from the Dragon Nation. 

This report has only deepened the mystery of the virus source and only a thorough probe can reveal the actual source. 

Even Jubilant Life Sciences Limited has clarified that there were no traces of COVID-19 virus in the imported raw material sampled from Nanjangud facility of its subsidiary Jubilant Generics Limited. It further said it is unfortunate that a wrong perception was created in public and media about the raw material imported from China.

Company clarifies

Additionally, the company clarified that the first COVID-19 positive patient (P52) did not travel to China or on any overseas trip in the last six months. Further, none of the employees tested positive. The statement further said that in any case, P52 never had any contact with any raw material nor had role in receiving, transporting, handling or storage of raw materials.

All evidences and known scientific facts published by reputed global organisations, available so far, indicates that the virus does not survive for more than 72 hours on any surface. The raw materials sampled from the Nanjangud facility had taken more than three weeks of transit to reach the plant by sea route and no virus could survive this long on any surface, the company claimed.

Jubilant Generics Limited at its plant located at Nanjangud manufactures Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients used in drugs that are needed for sustaining patient lives, including Azithromycin Dihydrate and Azithromycin Monohydrate, which were needed to fight the global menace of COVID-19.

ADGP visits Jubilant

Yesterday, Additional Director General of Police Parashivamurthy and Nanjangud MLA B. Harshavardhan visited the Morarji Desai Residential School near Sindhuvalli and inspected the tests conducted on employees of Jubilant Generics who are under home quarantine.

MLA Harshavardhan told the ADGP that there is a high-level pressure to reopen Jubilant Generics. The Government should not give permission until a comprehensive probe is conducted and the source of infection is cleared. Parashivamurthy assured a transparent probe and the department will not succumb to any kind of pressure.

Probe on: DHO

Mysuru District Health Officer Dr. R Venkatesh said all possible causes of the outbreak was being investigated, including import of chemicals from China, and visits by foreign delegates to the campus. CCTV footage, company records regarding visitor details, travel history, material movement are being probed.

PIL filed in High Court

Meanwhile, a Public Interest Litigation has been filed in the Karnataka High Court against Jubilant Generics on grounds of negligence in protecting its employees from COVID-19. The company, part of the Jubilant Bhartia Group. 

Advocate Geetha Mishra has sought the High Court to direct the State Government to take action against the firm for alleged negligence in precautionary measures

This is one of the first cluster outbreaks of the coronavirus pandemic in the State.

“….due to careless/negligent handling of the situation by the owner of said company the COVID-19 had spread to various parts of the Mysuru District as well as other parts of the Karnataka State..” the petition said.

“This has been filed as an application to our earlier PIL in the Karnataka High Court on lapses in the State to arrest the spread of COVID-19 cases. This matter is likely to be heard next week,” said lawyer G.R. Mohan, advocate for the petitioner.