Mangalore, July 24: The Central Arecanut and Cocoa Marketing and Processing Cooperative (Campco) Limited has urged the Karnataka State government not to take hasty steps to ban paan masala and gutka.
The appeal comes in the wake of Karnataka High Court issuing a notice to the State government on a public interest litigation petition seeking a ban on the manufacture, storage, sale and distribution of gutka, paan masala and all other forms of chewing tobacco containing tobacco and nicotine as ingredients.
The petition pointed out that Madhya Pradesh and Kerala had exercised powers under the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011 to ban these products.
Addressing media person here on Tuesday Campco Ltd President Konkodi Padmanabha pointed out that paan masala doesn't have tobacco content in it and gutka contains 80 per cent areca-nut. There is no point in banning paan masala and gutka without banning products like cigarrettes, beedi and Chutta, he said.
Mr Padmanabha also suggested that if tobacco was harmful to health, then it would be better to ban that substance from gutka instead of banning the whole product all of a sudden. If the banning is necessary the government should impose it step by step after providing rehabilitation package to growers, he added.
Mr Padmanabha also informed that Campco Ltd would be holding a three day 'Krishi Yanthra Mela- II from November 2 to 4 this year in association with ARDF, Puttur Vivekananda Engineering College.
He said that around 50,000 farmers from different parts of Karnataka and nearby state of Kerala were expected take part in the event, which would have seminars and exhibitions.
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