CANACONA: In spite of fresh orders from the Directorate of Food and Drugs Administration preventing sale of banned products such as gutka or paan masala (containing tobacco nicotine) and scented tobacco, quite a few paan shops are still selling the same openly in and around Margao town.
Directorate of Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) had issued fresh orders a couple of days ago preventing the sale of gutkha, paan masala (containing tobacco nicotine) under the provision of ‘Goa Health (amendment) Act, 2005’, the ban prohibits the manufacture for sale, distribution, storing, conveying of food articles containing tobacco or tobacco extracts and selling. In spite of the fresh orders from FDA, the sale of paan masala with added tobacco and gutka is going on openly at Bolshe circle, Gogol junction Opp St. Sebastian Chapel, Fatorda stadium junction the same is true for most of the other towns in Goa.
As per the “Goa Prohibition of Smoking and Spitting Act, 1997 (Goa Act 5 of 1999), which has been passed by the Legislative Assembly of Goa on 31-7-1999, to provide for prohibiting use of tobacco in any form and spitting in places of public work or use and in public service vehicles in the State of Goa which extends to the whole of the State of Goa, all these acts are punishable under various above acts, but spitting at public places and govt buildings is going on unchecked creating a health hazard and nuisance for the people around. Stopping this illegal sale of paan and tobacco will go a long way in not only curbing the menace of painting the place red but also in reducing the risk of dreaded diseases such as cancer.
A senior citizen on condition of anonymity confirmed the sale of Gutka and tobacco products at the paan shop in the vicinity of his house. He also alleged the law enforcement agencies did not pay attention to such dastardly act and defiance in the open.
Even as the Prime Minister is stressing the need to go clean and we are being charged Swachch Bharat cess, how can the authorities go ahead with such lackadaisical attitude?. “Why is the common man made to pay for the citizen who creates nuisance,” asked a local resident. “The state government should ensure that these illegalities are immediately stopped in the interest of Goa and Goans,” he added.
