Bhayandar: Maharashtra became the first state to impose a ban on the production, marketing and sale of gutkha and chewing tobacco products in July 2012. However, the banned products are being sold openly in most of pan (betel) stalls located in each nook and cranny of Mira Road and Bhayandar, thus poking fun at the state government ban, even as officials from the local Food and Drug Authorities (FDA) and police personnel continue to turn a blind eye to the illegalities.
In fact, traders and vendors are cashing in on the situation, by selling the prohibited products at a much higher price than the maximum retail price printed on the sachets. When contacted, Food Safety Officer Arvind Khadke said, “We have been taking acting against gutkha sellers on a regular basis. In the past few months our teams have conducted more than 20 raids in the region and seized gutkha worth around Rs 1.92 crore. Action will be intensified to weed out the menace in coming days.” Local police officials also assured to initiate a crackdown against the illegal gutka trade.
“There is a steady flow of customers who ask for gutkha. Since it’s available at most of the stalls, we also keep the products. What is the point in losing out to business,” revealed a stall owner, requesting anonymity. Although, the authorities claim to have seizing gutkha and scented tobacco products in frequently conducted raids, the racket involved in smuggling of banned products into Mumbai and Thane from neighbouring states like Gujarat (where it is not banned), continues unabated. Interestingly, some companies are now selling gutkha in a new avatar by packaging the chewing tobacco and paan masala in two separate sachets. When the two packs are mixed, consumers get a substitute for gutkha.
