HC to hear plea on gutka ban

The Delhi High Court has agreed to hear an NGO’s plea seeking strict implementation of the ban on ‘gutka’ and other chewable tobacco products in the Capital.

A Bench of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal has now decided to take up the petition on February 13. The court had earlier refused to hear the petition after the Delhi government informed it that the issue was already pending before a single judge who, by way of an interim order, had restrained the government from taking any coercive action against tobacco sellers and manufacturers.

‘No strict enforcement’

NGO Fariyaad Foundation, however, said that the issue before the single judge was related to tobacco and not chewable tobacco. It had moved the court saying the Delhi government’s notification banning sale, supply and manufacture of ‘gutka’ and other chewable tobacco products was not being implemented strictly. It alleged that chewable tobacco products were still being sold, but in two pouches — one that contained pan masala and the other tobacco — to circumvent the notification.

Chewable tobacco like ‘khaini’, ‘gutka’ and ‘zarda’ account for nearly 0.9 million deaths in India every year, the NGO has said in its plea, which alleged inaction on the part of government agencies. The petition also sought the formation of a permanent policy banning sale, supply and production of chewable tobacco products.