Banned tobacco products being sold secretly in Kanpur

Gutkha and other tobacco products, which have been banned in the city, are being sold secretly by shopkeepers, evading attempts by officials to catch them in the act.
"The shopkeepers have become alert now. They do not keep pan masala and gutkha openly, but sell them secretively and only to their regular customers," Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Avinash Singh said.
Authorities have become even more vigilant now to nab those selling the banned substances, he said.
"The municipal corporation and district administration teams are in action and have conducted raids at around 100 shops selling pan masala and gutkha and have seized the banned substances," he said.

The officials pretend to be customers to fool shopkeepers into selling them the products, after which they are nabbed and the products are seized, he said.
However, shopkeepers claim that they are only selling tobacco products which were already in stock and people are still buying them because they are addicted.

When asked whether the sale of these products has decreased after the ban, a local shopkeeper said, "The sales figures have not dropped. In fact, our profit has increased because we are selling the limited stock for higher prices."
Newly appointed District Magistrate Sameer Verma said with a view to ensuring complete ban on such products in the state, big traders will be targeted instead of small shopkeepers.

Since the ban has been implemented, more than 150 sacks of gutkha have been seized from Kanpur, but no trader or stockist has yet been apprehended from the city.
The ban was imposed in the state from the beginning of this month. Twenty industries indulging in production of tobacco products have now withdrawn from production.
Besides, industries involved in packaging and suppliers of 'supari', cardamom, peppermint have also been affected by the ban.