The Odisha government on Friday issued the notification for banning manufacturing, sale and use of gutkha in the state.
“In pursuance of regulation 2.3.4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulation-2011, the manufacture, storage, sale and distribution of gutkha and panmasala containing tobacco or nicotine as ingredients by whatsoever name available in the market is hereby prohibited in the greater interest of public,” the notification read. Food inspectors and inspectors of police have been authorised through the notification to implement the ban in their respective areas of jurisdiction, secretary (health) P K Mohapatra said .
It may be noted that earlier on January 1, health and family welfare minister Damodar Rout had announced the state-wide ban on the manufacture, sale and use of gutkha and chewing tobacco containing nicotine. Odisha is the 15th state in the country to ban gutkha. Earlier 14 states, including Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Bihar, Maharashtra and Rajasthan had imposed such a ban.
