LG V K Saxena extends ban on tobacco products in Delhi

New Delhi: Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena has extended the ban on the manufacture and sale of tobacco products, including gutkha and paan masala, in Delhi for a further period of one year, Raj Niwas officials said on Thursday.

The Lt Governor said tobacco products are now affecting children and youngsters and this menace should be contained for the future generation, they said.

He stressed that the notification needs to be enforced strictly and no lackadaisical attitude towards its enforcement in the city will be tolerated.

"The Lt Governor, while invoking his powers provided under Article 239 AA (4) of the Constitution of India, has issued these orders banning tobacco products, (Gutkha/Paan Masala) giving utmost importance to the issue of public health and in light of rising number of oral cancer cases in the capital," an official said.

Article 239AA pertains to special provisions with respect to Delhi.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, government of India, under the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011, has prohibited and restricted sale of products containing tobacco and nicotine to be used as ingredients in any food products.

The Food Safety Department of the Delhi government will issue a notification extending the ban soon, following approval by the LG, the official said.

"This move will prohibit the manufacture, storage, distribution and sale of tobacco (flavoured, scented or mixed with any addictive) and going by the name or form of Gutka, Paan Masala, flavoured/scented tobacco, Kharra or otherwise by whosoever," he said.

These banned products include packed or unpacked tobacco products and it will remain enforced for further one year, the official added.

In April this year, the Delhi High Court had also affirmed a ban imposed by the food safety commissioner on manufacture, storage and sale of gutka, paan masala, flavoured tobacco and similar products in the national capital, he said.

It had also set aside a September 2022 decision of a single judge of the High Court quashing the ban and allowed the appeals filed by the Centre and Delhi government against it and dismissed the objections raised by entities in tobacco business against the prohibition notifications issued earlier from 2015 till 2021, the official said.