The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered a ban on the sale of tobacco, gutka and pan masala in plastic pouches from March 2011.
A Bench of Justices G.S. Singhvi and A.K. Ganguly gave this interim direction during the hearing of a batch of petitions filed by manufacturers of tobacco products challenging a Rajasthan High Court order upholding such a ban in the State.
Even as manufacturers claimed that as a result of the ban the whole industry would come to a standstill, the Bench said “let it come,” and asked gutka manufacturers to shift to non-plastic packaging after March next year. “Let gutka become costlier. The public would benefit,” Justice Ganguly observed.
The High Court was acting on a petition filed by the Indian Asthma Care Society to restrain gutka manufacturers from using plastic packaging material. The High Court had also ordered a forensic examination of sachets and consequent imposition of fine if plastic was found in the packaging material.
The Supreme Court, while staying the High Court order, had also sought the Central government's views on plastic packaging for gutka. The Ministry of Environment and Forest constituted an inter-Ministerial committee to examine the environmental and health-related consequences of plastic used in pouches, containers of pan masala, gutka and other tobacco products.
In its report, the committee said plastic pouches were not only sturdier, but also saved significant amount of energy and water and also caused lesser green house gas emission as compared to alternatives such as wood, leather, and paper metal.
After going through the Centre's affidavit, Justice Ganguly observed: “The government is privy to gutka addiction. See the affidavit. These are powerful lobbies.”
Solicitor-General Gopal Subramaniam submitted that a fresh study on the ill-effects of plastic packaging for gutka would be conducted.
Expressing his anguish, Justice Ganguly observed: “The youth of today is imperilled by the government's lack of concern for public health. In some States, where economic prosperity has taken place, young people have been compromised. That is the reality. It is a social problem. Those who govern have to be alive to this problem. It is their duty to see that youth get all conditions for fulfilment. Where is the protest in the student community? Where is the idealism? Even in Bengal, where student movements have been vibrant, there is silence. At least, I don't see any manifestation of it [idealism].”
Justice Ganguly held the State governments responsible for proliferation of shops selling these products in the vicinity of schools and colleges and corrupting the rich Indian culture, particularly among the youth. All this was contributing to the uprooting of our national culture. The society was getting its Ministers and judges from such a pool of youngsters.
“This is governance today. Therefore, there is so much of corruption. You cannot stop corruption. It is absolutely difficult.”
The Bench posted the matter for further hearing on March 9, 2011.
Keywords: plastic packet ban, plastic packaging, pan masala
Comments:
This is a very good move. I hope the authorities stay firm. Let the investigative agencies be on the lookout for bribery by the Gutka lobby in this regard.
I think this step is going to kill people indirectly. If government is so concerned about the said matter, then they should stop producing or manufacturing gutka and pan masala instead of stopping packaging manufacturing. Because still now the cancer is alive. My statement is again: destroy the root of the tree instead of cutting the branches.
I simply do not understand why there is such an outcry on the plastic packaging? If the gutka is all that bad then why not root it out completely? By the article it seems that the cancer is being caused by the flexible packaging!! Who is the architect of this conspiracy? Even if you have to root gutka out completely it should be done in phases taking into account the hundreds and thousands of people linked with this industry. If you think that this is the evil which is destrroying the youth then why do you have to take your wrath out on the flexible packaging industry!
Dr.Frahat H. Qureshi
Yet another story of "Escaping from the reality rather finding a solution". Why Gutkha to be banned in plastic pouches instead of banning Gutkha? Is the plastic pouch more dangerous or the Guthka? One simple matter these people (who are sitting on our head OR rather we have made them to sit on our heads) don't know or don't want to know is a question. If its flexible packaging then why not ban all confectionary / biscuits / wafers / food items which are packed in billions of quantity and the pouches. Are they trying to convey a message that laminates are not good for the environment? Then let them know that throughout the world no developed country has benned laminates and they found a better way to use these laminates waste in some other form. We are following developed countries all the time and trying to imitate them. Then why we cannot follow the strategy they have adopted to recylce the plastics and creating awareness for proper littering habits / segregation of waste at root / waste management system. The politician will again earn thousands of crore from Guthka Industry in this case. God save our country from Illiterate / Uneducated / Mindless politician.
Good for enviornment and for animals; we cannot re-use the plastic
As a packaging technologist, I can say that not only tobacco but there are so many other local products also which are coming in plastic packaging which is not always safe as small scale industries don't have proper technology. Govt should inspect all edibles and drinkables (branded as well as local). And if gutka become costlier its good for gutka eaters. Sadko or deewaro pe rangoli nahi banegi lal rang ki...
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