Chennai, May 17 : Union Health Minister Dr Anbumani Ramadoss today asserted that the three PSU vaccine manfuacturing labs at Chennai, Coonoor and Kasauli were not closed, but only their production licences were suspended temporarily to prevent de-recognition of National Regulatory Authority (NRA) by the World Health Organisation. Addressing a press conference here, he described as "false, and baseless" , reports in a section of the press that the Centre had closed down the BCG Vaccine Lab (Chennai), Pasteur Institute (Coonoor) and CRI (Kasauli) with a view to procure vaccines from private players.

These reports were part of a mudslinging campaign launched by some political parties, the liquor and alcohol lobby and by those opposed to social justice and reservation for OBCs, against him to tarnish his image and that of the Union health Ministry for his relentless campaign against smoking, alcohol and junk food.

The decision to suspend the licence of these vaccine labs, which do not even conform to the basic quality of Indian GMP practices, was a hard decision, taken in the interest of the nation, he added.

''Otherwise, WHO, which had visited these labs and found that they were not of high standards, has threatened to derecognise the NRA, responsible for issuing licences, for failing in its duty'', he said.

''If NRA was derecognised, India will lose credibility in the world. It will be a big loss to India'', he added