Pune: Maharashtra Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has decided to renew the ban on gutkha and related products for the third year in a row. FDA has seized illegal tobacco products worth Rs 5 crore in the last two years from the state.
Gutkha was first banned in the state in 2011 under section 30 (2)(a) of the Food Standards and Safety Act 2006. In the following year, the state-run regulatory authority also banned flavored and scented betel nut (supari) and pan masala.
“Though the manufacturing of gutkha is stopped all over the state, there are gutkha stocks coming in from different states. FDA has conducted raids since the ban was implemented” said joint commissioner (food) Shashikant Kekare.
In the continuous raids in the city conducted by the FDA in the past two years, 266 cases for gutkha sales were filed with the police and 306 were prosecuted for either possessing gutkha, selling gutkha or carrying gutkha when traveling to Pune from different cities. Kekare added, “An estimate of 5,72,55,188 rupees worth gutkha has been destroyed since the ban was implemented and the till date gutkha stocks from various parts of the city are being taken under custody and destroyed”
The FDA has already taken help of local police and authorities to help with the raids and inspections in the city.
“The joint actions by FDA and police are proving quite useful. On Saturday itself, police helped FDA to cease gutkha stocks worth 31000 rupees being sold in the adarsh market areas of Shivaji Nagar” said assistant commissioner (food) Dilip Sangat.
Along with local authorities, now the FDA wants to include citizens in the ‘gutkha ban’ drive to make a better impact this year. “If the citizens join hands with us we will have a better reach. Anybody can inform us on the gutkha sales in the city and we shall take immediate actions” added Sangat.
Report here
To inform on gutkha possessions or sales in any part of the city, call on
020 - 24430113 - FDA Office
9028999444 - Joint Commissioner, FDA
9867264888 - Assistant Commissioner, FDA
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