According to officials at Raj Niwas, the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, V K Saxena, has decided to extend the prohibition on the production and sale of tobacco items, which includes products like gutkha and paan masala, for an additional year in Delhi.
The Lt Governor emphasized that tobacco products are negatively impacting children and young people, and it is essential to curb this issue to safeguard the well-being of future generations.
He strongly stressed the need for strict enforcement of the notification, asserting that any lax approach towards implementation within the city will not be tolerated.
Under the authority granted by Article 239 AA (4) of the Indian Constitution, the Lt Governor has issued these orders to ban tobacco products (such as Gutkha/Paan Masala) with a primary focus on public health, especially due to the increasing cases of oral cancer in the capital.
Article 239AA pertains to special provisions related to Delhi.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, under the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011, has forbidden the sale of products containing tobacco and nicotine as ingredients in food items.
The Food Safety Department of the Delhi government will soon release a notification extending the ban, following the LG’s approval.
“This measure will prohibit the production, storage, distribution, and sale of tobacco products (flavored, scented, or containing addictive substances) under the names Gutka, Paan Masala, flavored/scented tobacco, Kharra, or any other form, by any individual or entity,” the official stated.
These prohibited items encompass packaged or unpackaged tobacco products, and the ban will continue to be in effect for an additional year, the official added.
In April of this year, the Delhi High Court upheld a ban imposed by the food safety commissioner on the production, storage, and sale of gutka, paan masala, flavored tobacco, and similar products in the national capital, as per the official.
The court also nullified a September 2022 decision by a single judge of the High Court that had lifted the ban. It allowed appeals made by the Center and the Delhi government against this decision, dismissing objections raised by tobacco industry entities against the prohibition notifications issued between 2015 and 2021.
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