Team Herald
CANACONA: Despite the Directorate of Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) issuing orders preventing the sale of banned products such as gutka or pan masala (containing tobacco nicotine) and scented tobacco as final products in the State, the sale of these banned products has gone unchecked at Chaudi in Canacona.
A visit to Chaudi, Herald found a couple of shops openly selling paan and gutka and to make matters worse most migrant labourers after chewing the paan have “painted” the entire market red by spitting in the area turning it into any eyesore.
It may be recalled that food business operators had been informed that dealing in food articles such as gutka, pan masala (containing tobacco) and scented tobacco, is prohibited under the provisions of the “Goa Public Health (Amendment) Act, 2005”.
The ban prohibits the manufacture for sale, selling, distribution, storing, or conveying of food articles containing tobacco or tobacco extracts, the FDA had warned.
Manufacturers/vendors had been cautioned to avoid selling pan masala (without tobacco) with flavoured chewing tobacco in separate sachets but often conjoint and sold together.
A business man on the condition of anonymity said that in the past despite several complaints to the deputy collector’s office no action has been taken. But everyone was taken by surprise when all paanwallas suddenly disappeared following an incident wherein a migrant who was travelling by bus suddenly spat the paan from the window but his spit landed on an official from the local administration passing by. This was followed by prompt action resulting in the disappearance of all paanwallas but this lasted only for a short span. Following the official’s transfer, the paanwallas were back to their usual business.
Anil Bhagat, a business man questioned the presence of a paan and gutka selling shops in close proximity to a reputed school at Char Rasta. Most paan shops are operating outside the restaurants in various towns across Goa under the patronage of the police and the administration, he alleged.
A senior citizen speaking on the condition of anonymity lamented that the roadside vendors are banned which is right but why is this illegal activity of the paanwallas allowed to continue.
“Govt uses tax payers’ money to support Swachh Bharat Abhiyan then why is this nuisance not part of the abhiyan?” he asked.
