Bombay HC Allows Use Of Idle Plant In Pune To Manufacture Covaxin
Mumbai: Bombay High Court has allowed Biovet Private Limited, an associate firm of the Bharat Biotech, to take over the “ready to use” plant in Pune to manufacture Covaxin.
The bench has also issued a specific directive to the chief conservator of forests, the Pune division, the district collector and other concerned authorities to ensure that mandatory permissions and clearances are given to Biovet within a reasonable time so as to enable the firm to start manufacturing the vaccine at the earliest.
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Following a petition by Biovate, a bench of Justice TED sought to quash the orders of the Deputy Conservator of Forests, who refused to approve the company to manufacture the vaccine in this particular unit.
In its argument, Biovet highlighted the shortage of vaccines and emphasized the fact that the company is currently one of only three institutions in the country that manufacture vaccines.
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The plea further states that the original owners of the BLS-3 vaccine manufacturing plant prepared in question – Internet India Pvt Ltd, had planned to close the site and hand over the unit to Biovet for the manufacture of the vaccine.
Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbakoni appearing for the state told the bench that the government had no objection to granting such permission to the company, however, it should not claim any kind of equity while relying on the permissions given, during the final hearing of this plea.
Reacting to the state’s presentations, Biovet’s lawyer pledged before the bench that he would not use this permission to claim any equity in the future.
Accordingly, the bench ordered the authorities in Pune to grant the requisite permissions, without wasting any time.
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