Haryana Govt extends ban on sale, manufacture of gutka and pan masala till September 2022

With an aim to contain the spread of COVID-19, the Haryana government on Monday extended its ban on the sale and manufacturing of gutka and pan masala for another year. A notification in this regard has been issued by the state government's Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) which reads that the sale and purchase of tobacco products have been prohibited for a period of one year starting from September 7, 2021, and will remain in effect till September 2022. 

The order has also been issued to all the district magistrates and superintendent of police followed by food inspectors and other officials. Everyone has been given strict directions to adhere to the notification and anyone who will be seen violating the action will face legal action. 

The decision has been taken under the view of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic which is still a big threat for the nation and activities likes consuming tobacco or spitting tobacco can lead to the spreading of the coronavirus, thus creating a threat for everyone. 

State governments prohibit chewing gum, gutkha, and pan masala

Earlier in April 2020, the Haryana government prohibited the sale of chewing gum for a period of three months and further implemented a ban on the sale and manufacture of gutka and pan masala. As a part of the decision taken by the FDA department, COVID-19 which spreads through droplets has a higher possibility of getting transmitted from one person to another by spitting. 

Also, concerned authorities and officials were directed to check the sale and distribution of such products and avoid violation. In a similar step, the Uttar Pradesh government in 2020 banned the manufacture and sale of pan masala for containing the spread of coronavirus. This was followed by other states such as Jharkhand and Maharashtra.

Haryana COVID-19

With a steady decline in COVID-19 cases, vaccinations are being administered on an extensive scale to the people. According to government data, around 2.22 crore people in the state have been vaccinated with around 1.62 crore people already having their first doses. Providing details about it, state health minister Anil Vij informed that around 60.23 lakh people have received both doses of vaccine, whereas 98.36 lakh have received the first dose.

(With agency inputs, Image: PTI)