The Uttar Pradesh Government is likely to ban manufacture and sale of ‘paan masala’ and ‘guthaka’ in the State. The Yogi Government has already banned the use of paan masala and tobacco products in the Secretariat and other Government buildings housing offices.
Health Minister Siddarthnath Singh said on Saturday that the Government has already taken a serious view on consumption of the two products that are associated health hazards. He said that soon the State Government would take measures for closing down factories manufacturing ‘gutkha’ and ‘paan masala’ across the State.
Soon after taking over as Chief Minister on March 19, Yogi Adityanath had banned chewing of paan and guthaka in all Government offices in UP. The CM took the decision after an inspection of the Secretariat Annexe housing the CM’s office in March. Yogi was furious when he came across rust-coloured stains of paan and pan masala on stairs of the Secretariat building.
It may be stated her that following orders of Allahabad High Court, the sale and manufacture of paan masala and tobacco mixed guthka, are already banned in the state. Despite the ban, both products are being manufactured and marketed in the state.
In October, 2012, the then Akhilesh Yadav government had imposed a ban on gutkha (paan masala mixed with tobacco) as per the Allahabad High Court order and Food Security Act passed by the Parliament.