New Delhi, Oct 18 The Congress on Sunday claimed that the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to shut down Bharat Immunologicals and Biologicals Corporation (BIBCOL), which was set up in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr in 1989, and described the move as a “tragedy”.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said BIBCOL, a public sector undertaking (PSU), was set up in Bulandshahr in March 1989 to make India self-reliant in the manufacture of oral polio vaccines.
This was an initiative in which then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had taken keen personal interest, Ramesh said in a post on X.
After years of national service to make India polio-free, BIBCOL fell on hard times, he added.
A few years ago, it was reported that it would take up the production of anti-Covid vaccine Covaxin but clearly, that did not materialise, the Congress leader said.
“Now the Modi government has decided to close it down and will no doubt sell off its 60 or so acres close to the new Jewar International Airport. What a tragedy this is,” Ramesh said.
Last year, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi met with a delegation of employees from BIBCOL and listened to their problems.
The Congress had vowed to raise its voice for their rights and ensure that justice is delivered at any cost.
(PTI News)
