Even as several years have passed since the State Government banned the sale and manufacture of gutkha and paan masala products, there is no let-up in the illegal trade in Nabarangpur district.
Particularly, Umarkote and Raighar towns close to borders of Chhattisgarh to have turned a hub of the banned products.
According to reports, the district which is dense with tribals has a large number of chewing-tobacco consumers. The poor illiterate tribals fall prey to the deadly products easily. The district also has high cancer incidence which can be attributed to tobacco consumption. Moreover, the inaction of the district food security inspector and local police has made the matter easy for the unscrupulous traders.
The youths, in particular, have become victim to these products due to their open sale all over the district. The sale and transportation of several tobacco products like Banadurga, Safal,Ashiq, Rajniwas, Sachin, Horidakundi and others were found to have increased fast all over the district.
It is alleged that all the tobacco products are made in the broad daylight by hand in glove with the local police and food security officials. Earlier, Umarkote police had made huge seizures of gutkha products from one business man of the locality and arrested him. However, the crackdowns have failed to deter the sale of the products in the district.
Observers apprehend that the gutkha trade is thriving in the district in connivance with influential political persons, administrative officials and police in exchange for huge kickbacks.
The police said that they are keeping a hawk's eye on the illegal gutkha trade and will raid the places whenever they will receive any tipoff.