Port Blair, Nov 05: The Health Department of Andaman and Nicobar Administration is all set to launch a special drive to check distribution or sale of Gutkha in A & N Islands.
Under the provisions of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, Rules and Regulation 2011 the manufacture, storage, distribution or sale of Gutkha, Panmasala and allied products containing tobacco and nicotine as ingredients by whatsoever name, available in the market, has already been be prohibited in the Union Territory of Andaman & Nicobar Islands in the interest of Public Health w.e.f 1st November,2012.
“Special team will be formed by the Food and Safety unit and raids will be conducted to check sale of Ghutka in these Islands,” Dr. S K Paul, the Director of Andaman’s Health Department told Andaman Sheekha.
The Director has already directed the Food Safety Inspectors to form teams and conduct surprise raids on various shops of Port Blair city.
Since November 01, 2012 complaints were coming from various corners of A & N Islands that sale of Gutkha is continuing as before.
Meanwhile various other Departments and Autonomous bodies of A & N Islands are also planning to launch similar drives in Andamans.
Recently, a team of cancer specialists from Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS), Cochin had strongly emphasized the need for banning all Gudka products in these islands to prevent cancer.
The team had screened about 171 patients in various camps held at Port Blair, Rangat and Diglipur Islands and detected 21 suspected cases of cancer among them, most of which are oral cancers.
