The banned products seized over the past few weeks were disposed in a 12-foot-deep pit.
The food safety and drug administration department on
Saturday destroyed 2.6 tonnes of tobacco products confiscated in various
parts of the city in the past few weeks.
The banned
products seized from areas such as Wall Tax Road and Ayanavaram were
destroyed following guidelines of Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board
(TNPCB) after permission from Corporation commissioner Vikram Kapur.
TNPCB had given guidelines on the safe disposal of the products in a
12-foot-deep pit filled with urea and cow dung. The plastic packaging of
the products was removed earlier.
However, 16
tonnes of chewable tobacco products seized from Central Railway Station
on August 3 by the food safety and drug administration department is yet
to be destroyed. The products were transported by a train from
Nizamuddin. Ever since the ban on the manufacture, storage, distribution
and sale of carcinogenic chewable forms of tobacco such as gutka and
pan masala was announced in May, trains and buses have been used to
smuggle these products into the State. Recently, several banned tobacco
products found their way into retail outlets in the city.
Following
crackdowns on commercial establishments across the city, the sale of
gutka and pan masala has reduced considerably. However, many wholesalers
continue to store them in residential complexes, selling them to
regular customers.
The seized products stored in Central Railway Station are likely to be destroyed at the dumping yard next week.
Food safety officials plan to intensify an awareness drive among food business operators and disseminate information on the ban.
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