BERHAMPUR: Despite a ban, gutka trade continues to flourish in Ganjam district with the administration remaining complacent to the social evil and police loosening their grip over the traders.To check the increasing incidents of mouth and throat cancer, the State Government imposed a ban on sale of gutka and other tobacco products five years back. Following the ban, Ganjam police swung into action and sealed several gutka manufacturing units besides arresting over 50 persons. Raw materials and machineries worth crores of rupees were also seized by the police during the crackdown.
As police relaxed their actions with passage of time, the illegal trade started to flourish. Sources said after the crackdown, gutka was sold clandestinely. But now, it is openly available everywhere in the district including Berhampur, which had earned the notoriety of having several units that manufactured fake gutka and pan masala in the name of branded companies.
Now, most of the persons arrested for their involvement in gutka trade have been released on bail. They have started the illegal trade again and gutka and tobacco products are openly supplied to shops.
Following the police crackdown, the units have started manufacturing different pouches for pan masala and zarda. This apart, without any regulation mechanism, locally-made gundi and dokta (chewing tobacco) have become popular among the rural populace.
Senior advocate Bhagaban Sahu said the two legislations - FSS Act and COTPA are confusing. The administration needs to enforce the gutka ban strictly while police should also conduct regular raids against unscrupulous traders violating the law, he said.