DHARAMSHALA: While sale of tobacco was banned by Himachal Pradesh government
in October this year, railway police at Samela near Kangra on Friday
noon recovered a parcel containing huge quantity of tobacco (14 cartons
containing 30,000 pouches) being transported from Pathankot in Punjab to
Jogindernagar. Exposing chinks in implementation of ban on tobacco
products, the local authorities refused to register a case, reasoning
that the consignment was seized on premises administered by the central
government and therefore they had no jurisdiction.
"Till the time I am not directed by my senior colleagues, I cannot register a case," said food inspector Manjeet Kumar, the competent authority to register the case. Official claimed this was first such case to have surfaced after ban on tobacco products was imposed in the state. However, they admitted that it was evident from the amount of recovery that transportation of a banned product in such huge quantities could only be possible if it was being done as a routine practice for a long time.
"We recovered 14 cartoons from the train, which contained about 30,000 packets of tobacco. These were being carried to Jogindernagar in district Mandi, which is the last station on this route in Himachal. Despite all our efforts, no local officials are ready to take further action and we have no idea where else to go," said Subhash Kumar, in-charge of Samela railway station. Action can be taken under the provisions of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, but the railways do not have a food inspector at Kangra, while local officials from the food and supplies department empowered to take action are not ready to do so.
Excise and taxation inspector Kangra Swarn Singh said: "We received information about the tobacco parcels in late afternoon. We will have to read relevant rules before taking any action." When contacted, SDM Kangra Ajeet Bhardwaj said he had assisted the police and other authorities, "but only senior officials of the concerned department can consider the case further". The authorities were still debating till late evening who the competent authority was to take action. But no case was registered till the filling of this report even as recovery was done before 9 am on Friday.
Cigarettes, bidis, gutka (tobacco-laced areca nut pieces) and pan masala are banned substances in Himachal Pradesh. Anyone who is involved in sale, storage, manufacturing and distribute of tobacco-based products invite action under the provisions of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006..
"Till the time I am not directed by my senior colleagues, I cannot register a case," said food inspector Manjeet Kumar, the competent authority to register the case. Official claimed this was first such case to have surfaced after ban on tobacco products was imposed in the state. However, they admitted that it was evident from the amount of recovery that transportation of a banned product in such huge quantities could only be possible if it was being done as a routine practice for a long time.
"We recovered 14 cartoons from the train, which contained about 30,000 packets of tobacco. These were being carried to Jogindernagar in district Mandi, which is the last station on this route in Himachal. Despite all our efforts, no local officials are ready to take further action and we have no idea where else to go," said Subhash Kumar, in-charge of Samela railway station. Action can be taken under the provisions of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, but the railways do not have a food inspector at Kangra, while local officials from the food and supplies department empowered to take action are not ready to do so.
Excise and taxation inspector Kangra Swarn Singh said: "We received information about the tobacco parcels in late afternoon. We will have to read relevant rules before taking any action." When contacted, SDM Kangra Ajeet Bhardwaj said he had assisted the police and other authorities, "but only senior officials of the concerned department can consider the case further". The authorities were still debating till late evening who the competent authority was to take action. But no case was registered till the filling of this report even as recovery was done before 9 am on Friday.
Cigarettes, bidis, gutka (tobacco-laced areca nut pieces) and pan masala are banned substances in Himachal Pradesh. Anyone who is involved in sale, storage, manufacturing and distribute of tobacco-based products invite action under the provisions of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006..
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