Even as the High Court has given strict orders to enforce the ban on pan masalas, chewing tobaccos and gutkas from Saturday, the police are clueless about the products that have to be seized and destroyed.
When ‘City Express’ inquired about the ban with a top-level police officer in the city, he said that they would seize only products that contain tobacco and nicotine.
“The products without tobacco are exempted. The gutka which has tobacco will be seized along with chewing tobacco. Other products like mouth freshners are exempted,” the official said.
He said there was no clear cut order classifying which products come under the ban and which should be exempted. However, Saju Joseph, Assistant Commissioner, Narcotic Bureau said the ban includes all products like Supari, Pan masala, Gutka and Chewing tobacco.
“From Saturday, the ban would be imposed on all tobacco products. The High Court on Monday will consider another petition to exempt pan masalas without tobacco from the ban. After this, there will be clarity about the products that should be seized and destroyed. At present, we will seize all kinds of pan masalas, gutkas and chewing tobaccos,” he said.
The High Court had banned pan masala products and gutkas under the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restriction on Sales) Regulation, 2011, treating it and its variants as food products, with immediate effect.
However, there is also confusion that since the ban was imposed under the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restriction on Sales) Regulation, 2011, the law has to be enforced by the food safety officers than police. “The police have to give manpower to food safety officers for implementing the ban. It is for the food safety officer to enforce the law and not the police,” another police officer said.
As far as the food safety officers are concerned the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restriction on Sales) Regulation, 2011, will be enforced only from August this year. “The implementation of the food safety and Standard Regulation would take place from August. Now we are giving awareness class about the new law. We have not received any order regarding enforcing the ban on pan masalas,” food safety official said.
Source:http://newindianexpress.com
When ‘City Express’ inquired about the ban with a top-level police officer in the city, he said that they would seize only products that contain tobacco and nicotine.
“The products without tobacco are exempted. The gutka which has tobacco will be seized along with chewing tobacco. Other products like mouth freshners are exempted,” the official said.
He said there was no clear cut order classifying which products come under the ban and which should be exempted. However, Saju Joseph, Assistant Commissioner, Narcotic Bureau said the ban includes all products like Supari, Pan masala, Gutka and Chewing tobacco.
“From Saturday, the ban would be imposed on all tobacco products. The High Court on Monday will consider another petition to exempt pan masalas without tobacco from the ban. After this, there will be clarity about the products that should be seized and destroyed. At present, we will seize all kinds of pan masalas, gutkas and chewing tobaccos,” he said.
The High Court had banned pan masala products and gutkas under the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restriction on Sales) Regulation, 2011, treating it and its variants as food products, with immediate effect.
However, there is also confusion that since the ban was imposed under the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restriction on Sales) Regulation, 2011, the law has to be enforced by the food safety officers than police. “The police have to give manpower to food safety officers for implementing the ban. It is for the food safety officer to enforce the law and not the police,” another police officer said.
As far as the food safety officers are concerned the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restriction on Sales) Regulation, 2011, will be enforced only from August this year. “The implementation of the food safety and Standard Regulation would take place from August. Now we are giving awareness class about the new law. We have not received any order regarding enforcing the ban on pan masalas,” food safety official said.
Source:http://newindianexpress.com
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