India, Oct. 7 -- The Haryana Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has directed all drug control officers across the state to maintain strict vigil on cough syrups suspected of contamination with diethylene glycol (DEG) and ethylene glycol (EG), the toxic industrial chemicals linked to the recent incidents of fatal poisoning.

In an urgent communication, the state drugs controller has instructed officers to inspect manufacturing units and retail outlets, particularly those using propylene glycol (PG), and sorbitol, as ingredients.

"We have directed the field officers to ensure that drug samples containing PG are tested for possible contamination so as to verify the presence of DEG and EG impurities, if any," Lalit Goel, the state drug cont...