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No legal action against gutkha users

Consuming gutkha and paan masala will not invite legal action, at least for now, state excise and food and drugs minister Anil Deshmukh said on Tuesday. He was divulging plans for strict enforcement of the ban on manufacturing, storing and selling of the addictive products.

'Presently there is no provision in the law to book those chewing gutkha or paan masala. However, we are trying to amend the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954 to include a proviso to penalise even those who are found chewing these two products ,'' Deshmukh said at a press conference held at Mantralaya on Tuesday.

The minister said the state government had repeatedly urged the Centre to impose a nation-wide ban on these two addictive products considering the harmful impact it has on the younger generation.

'However, the Centre did not react favourably to our letters and instead advised us to initiate an awareness campaign in the state to inform the people about the ill-effects of chewing gutkha and paan masala,'' he said.

Deshmukh said the notification banning the two products was issued on Tuesday and that it will come into effect from August 1. 'By the stipulated deadline the manufacturers will have to stop production and those storing and selling the gutkha will have to destroy their stock,'' he said.

Any person flouting the ban will be liable for prosecution and face imprisonment of a minimum of six months to three years and a minimum fine of Rs 1,000, Deshmukh said.

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