To
Dr.
S.C.Jamir,
Honourable
Governor of Odisha,
India.
From
Sachin
Kumar Agrawal,
Member,
Marwari Yuva Manch,
Dharamgarh
Branch, Kalahandi, Odisha.
[Sub: Ban on Gutkha & Chewing Tobacco]
Date: 14th
April 2014
Respected
Sir,
The Government of Odisha on 1st
January 2013 announced a state-wide ban on the manufacture, sale and use of
gutkha and chewing tobacco containing nicotine. The then Minister of Health and
Family Welfare Sri Damodar Rout appealed the people to cooperate with the state
government in making Odisha a tobacco-free state. Subsequently, the official
notification regarding the ban came up on 3rd January 2013.
Odisha
was the 15th state during this announcement and as of now almost all
the states and Union Territories in the country have banned the use of gutkha
and chewing tobacco under the Food Safety
and Standards Act, 2006 & Food Safety and Standards Rules, 2011.
Use
of gutkha and chewing tobacco leads to Oral Cancer and other severe health
problems. Excessive use of these
products leads to loss of appetite, promotes unusual sleep patterns and contributes
to loss of concentration in daily life. Problems are many, Profit is null.
According
to the 2009-2010 survey by Global Adult Tobacco Sruvey, 53.5% of Indians use
tobacco products of which 48.07% figures for chewing tobacco while the rest
accounts for bidi, cigarette and other variants.
Although
it’s almost a year and three months since notification, no considerable steps
have been taken by the State Government in curbing the use of such disastrous
products. These products are easily available in the market and one can,
without much effort, have access to it. It seems that the manufacturers,
distributors and sellers have no fear of the law of the land and thus have
bypassed it without much endeavor.
Health
indicators in Odisha are not that satisfactory and a strict ban on these
products can contribute exceptionally in improving the health status of the
state. There is provision of strict punishment in case of violation of FSSA and
COTPA acts, but everything seems to go in vain.
Just like gutkha and chewing
tobacco, smoking cigarettes and bidis also contribute significantly to negative
health status. It is being regulated by COTPA (Cigarettes and Other Tobacco
Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce,
Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003. However, the regulation has been
unsatisfactory and unacceptable.
It
should be kept in mind that proper rehabilitation steps also be taken for all
those entities who are dependent on sale of such products for their livelihood.
Care must be taken to ensure that such people are not left unemployed after the
strict ban of the products.
I,
as a responsible citizen of the country, request you to direct the state
government to take up the issue seriously and impose a strict ban on the Guthka
and its variants both in manufacture and sale and take up rehabilitation
programs wherever necessary.
I
am attaching the Global Adult Tobacco Survey Report 0f 2009-2010 (I could not
find the latest report. Please consider the latest report if it has been released.)
Also
the official notification of the Government of Odisha regarding the issue has
been attached.
I
sincerely hope that you will, at the earliest, consider the issue and take
appropriate steps.
Thank
You.
Sachin
Kumar Agrawal
Member,
Marwari Yuva Manch,
Dharamgarh
, Kalahandi, Odisha – 766015.
Contact Details:
Mobile: 09861965410
Copy To (Via
Mail):
1.
Shri Pranab Mukherjee, President of
India.
2. Food
Safety and Standards Authority of India
3. Department
of Health and Family Welfare, Government
of Odisha
.
Shri Bijay Ketan Uppadhyay,
Collector Kalahandi.
5.
Shri Lala M. K. Ray, Sub-Collector,
Dharamgarh Sub-Division.
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