Drive against sale of banned tobacco products, intoxicant chocolates

Health at stake:Collector S. Natarajan inspecting seized intoxicant chocolates and banned tobacco products at the Collectorate in Ramanathapuram on Friday.

Launching a drive against sale of intoxicant chocolates and banned tobacco products, the District Food Safety wing of the Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration Department has seized intoxicant chocolates and banned tobacco products worth Rs. two lakh in the district.

After launching the drive on July 6 as part of the State-wide drive, the Food Safety officials have seized products worth Rs. One lakh in Ramanathapuram municipal limit and products worth an equal amount after raiding retail shops at block levels throughout the district, Food safety wing District Designated Officer M. J. C. Bose said.

Inspecting the seized products, including locally-made unbranded and sub-standard chocolates, which had ingredients to stimulate intoxication and banned tobacco products such as ‘Baangu Urundai’ and ‘Cool Lip’ at the Collectorate here on Friday, Collector S. Natarajan said the drive would continue until further orders and advised school children not to buy the chocolates.

Pointing out that retail outlets, especially those located near schools and colleges were flooded with banned products, coated with attractive synthetic colours, the Collector appealed to the students and general public to avoid buying unbranded chocolates and biscuits.

Stern action

The retail and wholesale sellers should avoid selling such products, failing which stern action would be taken against them, the Collector warned. Public could alert the district administration, police or the food safety cell by calling 04567 231170 if they come across sale of such products in their areas, he said.

Dr. Bose said samples of the seized products were being sent to food analysts in Palayamkottai and further action would be taken against the sellers based on the reports of the analysts. The District Revenue Officer (DRO) would be the adjudicating official in case of sub standard and misuse of branded products, he said.

In case of sale of unsafe products, the department would file case before Judicial Magistrate courts, he said.

Dr. Bose was assisted in the drive by Food Safety officers M. Karunanidhi, A. Karunagaran and A. John Peter.