Bhubaneswar, May 13: Amid growing opposition to the online sale of medicines, all medicine shops across the state will remain closed on May 20 following a call by the Utkal Chemist and Druggist Association. The association announced the decision through a press release issued on Tuesday.

Association General President P. Satyanarayana and Secretary Prashant Mahapatra said the organisation represents nearly 30,000 medicine traders, whose businesses support around 2.5 lakh families across the state. They expressed concern that the rapid rise of online medicine trade is posing a serious threat to the livelihood of employees working in retail medicine stores.

The association further alleged that online trade of drugs and cosmetics is not legally valid under existing regulations, but claimed that adequate attention is not being given to the issue. In protest against the growing online medicine business, the association has decided to shut down medicine shops statewide on May 20.