NOTIFICATION OF WEST BENGAL

Government of West Bengal
Health & Family Welfare Department
Office of the Commissioner of Food Safety
Swasthya Bhaban, GN – 29, Sector V
Salt Lake, Kolkata – 700091

No. 45/HF/CFS/1M-6/2012(Pt) Dated Kolkata, the 4th April 2014

NOTIFICATION

WHEREAS regulation 2.3.4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations 2011 made by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, in exercise of the powers conferred by clause (i) of sub – section (2) of section 92 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (Central Act 34 of 2006) read with section 26 thereof, prohibits sale of articles of food in which tobacco and/or nicotine are used as ingredients, as they may be injurious to health;
AND WHEREAS, gutkha and panmasala are articles of food in which tobacco and/or nicotine are widely used as ingredients;
AND WHEREAS, it is expedient to prohibit gutkha and panmasala in the State of West Bengal, being food products in which tobacco and/or nicotine are widely used as ingredients;
AND WHEREAS, the Commissioner of Food Safety of the State is empowered under Section 30 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 to prohibit in the interest of public health, the manufacture, storage, distribution or sale of any article of food in the whole of State, for a period of one year;
NOW, THEREFORE, in pursuance of regulation 2.3.4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011, the manufacture, storage, sale or distribution of gutkha and panmasala containing tobacco and/or nicotine as ingredients, by whatsoever name it is available in the market, is hereby prohibited for a period of one year with effect from the 1st day of May, 2014, in the State of West Bengal, in the interest of Public Health.

Sd/- Gautam Ghosh
Commissioner of Food Safety
West Bengal