‘Issue prior notice to gutka producers’
Advocate-General Darius Khambata on Thursday announced that the state government will be issuing a 72-hour notice before taking any stringent action against producers of tobacco products. Producers of tobacco products have appro-ached the Bombay high court seeking orders that the police or FDA, should not resort to any coercive action such as arresting the owners of the companies, etc. without giving them a chance to defend themselves.
The companies SS Enterprises and Kirti Industries along with others demanded that once products are seized, there should be no further penal action from the authorities without them getting the opportunity to defend themselves. In the petition before the HC, the petitioner argued that Maharashtra has imposed a ban on hoarding, sale, production and purchase of gutka since July 19. Although the production of gutka and paan masala was stopped, companies have been doing business in other tobacco products, which are not banned. The authorities not only seize the products, but there is also a fear of arrest or any other coercive action.
The ban on gutka has not gone down well with the producers of tobacco products. The authorities carrying out raids have caused the retailers to stop the sale of gutka. However, the
state authorities have also found out that some of the producers have started selling separate ingredients. Hence, the state authorities are aiming for stringent action.
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