Haryana Government has extended the period of prohibition on manufacture, storage, sale and distribution of Guthka and Panmasala containing tobacco or nicotine as ingredients, for one year with effect from August 15, 2014.
The violation of these orders would be punishable. An official spokesman said that an order to this effect has been issued in the interest of health of the people.
He said that regulation 2, 3, 4 of the Food Safety and Standards (prohibition and restriction on sales) Regulations 2011 made by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India in exercise of powers conferred by clause (i) of sub-section (2) of section 92 of the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, which is a Central Act prohibits articles of food in which tobacco and nicotine are used as ingredients, as they are injurious to health.
The spokesperson said that Guthka and Panmasala are articles of food in which tobacco and nicotine are widely used as ingredients nowadays. He said that it was expedient to prohibit Guthka and Panmasala in Haryana, being food products in which tobacco and nicotine are widely used as ingredients. “Under the Act any person who, whether by himself or by any other person on his behalf, manufactures for sale or stores or sells or distributes or imports any article of food for human consumption which is unsafe, shall be punishable where such failure or contravention does not result in injury, with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months and also with fine which may extend to Rsone lakh.
Where such failure or contravention results in a non-grievous injury, it would be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year and also with fine which may extend to Rsthree lakh,”he added.He said that where such failure or contravention results in a grievous injury, it would be punishable with imprisonment for a term which might extend to six years and also with fine which might extend to Rsfive lakh.
The spokesperson added that where such failure or contravention results in death, it would be punishable with imprisonment for a term which would not be less than seven years, but which might extend to imprisonment for life and also with fine which would not be less than Rs10 lakh.