Manufacture, sale of gutka may be banned in state

 The state government is understood to have decided to ban the manufacture and sale of gutka and panmasala.

A formal announcement in this regard is likely to be made on the occasion of World Tobacco Day on Friday.

Gutka has been banned as per the Centre’s Food Safety and Standards of India Act. Though the Union government notified the Act a year ago making it mandatory for all states to ban gutka, the state had shied away from it, apparently yielding to the pressure from arecanut growers.

However, areca growers say that the ban is being imposed due to lobbying by cigarette manufacturers.

The Health Department had put up a proposal on banning gutka soon after the Centre’s notification. But the then BJP government shelved the proposal bowing to pressure from arecanut growers. Doctors’ associations and Petitions Committee of the Legislature, too, had recommended immediate ban.

Health Minister U T Khader had earlier in the day told reporters that people, especially the youth, are badly affected due to consumption of gutka. “About 20 states have already banned gutka. We have collected data on how the consumption has been a health hazard. Besides, the Supreme Court, too, has ordered in favour of a ban. Hence, the government is seriously considering it,” he added.

The minister said arecanut growers will not be affected.