Bangalore, May 31, 2013: 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.
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