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| Gutka sale goes unabated across holy town Katra | | | Ajay Sharma
Katra, Aug 2 : After lapse of around four months since Gutka was banned across state, its sale is going on unabated in holy town Katra under the nose of authorities, raising question mark over the seriousness of government and other law enforcement agencies regarding implementation of ban. Moreover, the ban has increased the profit of traders who are selling various Gutka productions, on two to three times higher prices than the actual cost across holy town Katra.
"All brands are Gutka are easily available at Katra but are being sold on very high price. A pouch of Rs. 2 is being sold at Rs. 5 while the product with MRP of Rs 10 is being sold at Rs 20 to 25,", a consumer Kuldeep Singh said, adding that the Gutka addicts were buying the same even at higher rates.
An official seeking anonymity said that after the ban was imposed by state government the shopkeepers and vendors have only stopped displaying the reams of Gutka sachets for customers but have been secretely selling the same. "Some of the shopkeepers have stopped sale but majority have been continue with sale of Gutka production and have only changed their method of selling.
There is little risk but majority of officers of law enforcement agencies are aware of the sale but are hand in glove with the vendors", the official said, adding that now the trade of Gutka involved huge profit. Another official said that if the government sincerely wanted to ban the product then firstly all the Gutka manufacturing units must be shut down. "It can only be called a half hearted exercise of government. You are only cutting the branches but not uprooting the tree", he rued, adding that the ban on Gutka would also meet the same fate as the ban on polythene carry bags. Pertinently, with motive to save society from the dangerous consequences of chewable tobacco, in the month of March, 2013, Jammu and Kashmir government has totally banned the chewable tobacco's import, manufacturing, transportation, stocking, sale of chewable tobacco and other similar products which contain chewable tobacco as one of its ingredients.
The order to ban Gutka- paan masala mixed with tobacco was issued immediately after Govt announced in the Assembly during budget session that Finance Department has agreed to impose the ban on such products in the interest of citizens of J&K State.
As per the notification number HD/Drug/58/2012, the commissioner has prohibited distribution of Gutkha by whatever name and Pan Masala or Zarda containing tobacco or nicotine as ingredients by any name. |
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