Shimla, Oct. 7 -- The Himachal Pradesh government has banned Coldrif cough syrup after laboratory tests found that drug was adulterated with a highly poisonous substance diethylene glycol. The moves comes after the office of the director of drugs control, Tamil Nadu, declared ColdRif Syrup (Paracetamol, Phenylephrine Hydrochloride, and Chlorpheniramine Syrup) batch number SR-13, manufactured by Sresan Pharmaceutical Manufacturer, Kancheepuram district, Tamil Nadu, as not of standard quality after it was found adulterated. The syrup is linked to the death of nine children from fever in Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh. "We have completely banned the drug. The retailers, distributors, hospitals, and medical practitioners have been instructed not to purchase or use the drug under any circumstances, and any existing stock must be reported to the drugs control administration immediately," said state drug controller Manish Kapoor while talking to HT. The MP government had written to Himachal as well as the state's drug controller, seeking an investigation into two syrups - Coldrif and Nexa DS. Though Coldrif is not produced in Himachal, meanwhile, Nexa DS is being manufactured by Aquanova Pharma. The Himachal drug department had suspended the production of Nexa DS as a precautionary measure while the laboratory results were awaited. "As a precautionary measure the production of Nexa DS was stopped. We have now received the communication saying that the samples of Nexa DS cough syrup, manufactured in Baddi, Himachal, has been cleared in the test." The state drug authority in Himachal on October 5 had stopped the production as well as the supply of Nexa DS after preliminary findings from Madhya Pradesh's investigation revealed that the cough syrup administered to sick children, contained ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol, toxic chemicals commonly used in vehicle coolants and anti-freeze solutions. Kapoor said, "We have received communication from Madhya Pradesh where by the sample of the Nestro DS have been declared of standard quality." Nine children have died since September 7 in Chhindwara's Parasia block due to fever and kidney failure. As per family members, the children first developed a fever and cold, followed by a kidney infection. Despite receiving proper medical care, their lives could not be saved. Following this, the Madhya Pradesh government wrote to the Himachal government and the drug controller, requesting an investigation into Tamil Nadu's cough syrup, Coldrif, and Baddi-made Nexa DS syrup. Kapoor, said, "After receiving the communication from MP, the department immediately began an inquiry. We have identified the companies that supplied the drugs from Himachal to MP. In collaboration with the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation, we have started risk-based inspections"....