Despite a heavy clampdown on the sale and possession of chewing tobacco in pan shops by the Food and Drug Authority (FDA), handlers have clearly evaded the dragnet and made inroads to the city.
DNA conducted a reality check on the ground on Monday in areas such as Borivali, Goregaon, Andheri, Prabhadevi, Dadar, and Colaba. And the results seem to be poking fun at the government ban on the sale and possession of chewing tobacco.
Although authorities have been conducting a surprise check and seizing gutkha, and scented tobacco products, Mumbaikars have easy access to the banned products.
A check conducted by a DNA correspondent started from Borivali, where just a few metres away from the Kasturba police station, the pan shop owner was selling banned gutkha. When asked about the illegal sale and the penalty it attracts, the shopkeeper, pointed out, "Authorities conduct raids and seize the product and leave. But, the public demand for it. And we have to arrange from the agents to get it from other states."
Whereas a stroll down in areas like SV Road in Borivali, Veera Desai Road in Andheri West, Goregaon, areas in Bandra such as Hill Road and Gaiety Galaxy, Prabhadevi and Dadar, shows that the sale of banned chewing tobacco is in full throttle.
In every nook and cranny of Dahisar, Mira Road, Malad, and Bhayandar, banned tobacco products adorn pan stalls. Most of the shops checked by DNA did not have messages cautioning against tobacco consumption by people under the age of 18 being an offence.
Girdhari Laal, who runs a pan shop in Goregaon said that his shop was raised twice early this year by authorities. When asked how he managed to procure the products, he smiled and said, "When there is demand there is supply. We manage to get it from nearby areas when we run out of stock."
During the check, it was found that many consumers prefer to buy paan masala and mix it with tobacco. The sale of paan masala, which is also banned in the state, continues unabated. If officials from the FDA are to be believed, the banned products make it inside the city from Gujarat. Carriers stash consignments in public transport vehicles and deliver them to paan shops in the city.
While the paan masala brand, Rajnigandha, has a market price printed on its sachet as Rs 17, it is sold at Rs 20 owing to the huge demand.
Maharashtra banned the production, sale, distribution, and storage of chewing tobacco and paan masala in the state in September 2012 and had become the first to do so.
Since the ban and until March 2018, gutkha worth Rs 114.2 crore has been seized.
When DNA approached the FDA, an official said that the department has been conducting regular raids. However, officials are currently busy with elections. "We filed more than 1,000 FIRs this year after the landmark Supreme Court decision which allowed for cases to be filed in gutkha-related cases," said FDA commissioner Dr Pallavi Darade.
Landmark Ruling
|
- In November 2018, the sale of chewing tobacco became a non-bailable offence in the state. The move came into force following the Supreme Court order allowing the state to take action against offenders under Section 328 of the Indian Penal Code.
|
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Banned tobacco")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}