Jharkhand on Friday bannedmanufacture, sale and storage of 11 brands of pan masala for a year saying these products contain a chemical which is harmful to the heart and can cause various diseases.The authorities collected 41 samples of various brands of pan masala from different districts and tested them to check it they contain magnesium carbonate, which is banned under the Food Safety Act, 2006, as one of the ingredients, an official release said here.A total of 11 brands, including leading ones, failed the test."So, for the interest of public health, the ban has been imposed (on the 11 brands) for one year. Any violation of this order shall entail strict action under the appropriate sections of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the Indian Penal Code," it said.Jharkhand becomes the third state after Maharashtra and Bihar to impose a ban on pan masala, the release said.The state government had on April 22 imposed a ban on all tobacco products to prevent spitting in public places that could increase the threat of the spread of novel coronavirus infection.
