Officials from the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) claimed that based on a PIL filed by activists in the Bombay High Court against chemists for holding the public to ransom every time they bicker with the FDA, the court ordered chemists to call off the strike immediately, to which the council of the MSCDA present in the court agreed. FDA officials said 90 per cent of the pharmacies had opened by 3 pm.

“No loss to public was witnessed during the day, as the strike was called off. Majority of the chemist shops were open,” said FDA Joint Commissioner (Vigilance) Shailesh Kale. A meeting has now been scheduled between MSDCA and FDA on December 19 in Nagpur to resolve the issue amicably.