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Gutkha sales cross 100 cr a day!
In spite of the Central government’s total ban on sale of gutkha following the Supreme Court judgment to that effect, the gutkha sales has been going on unabated in the two Telugu States. It has been estimated that everyday gutkha worth Rs 100 crore has been sold in the two Telugu States making people vulnerable to the tobacco-related diseases.
Hyderabad: In spite of the Central government’s total ban on sale of gutkha following the Supreme Court judgment to that effect, the gutkha sales has been going on unabated in the two Telugu States. It has been estimated that everyday gutkha worth Rs 100 crore has been sold in the two Telugu States making people vulnerable to the tobacco-related diseases.
The gutkha sale has been going on unhindered throughout the two Telugu States with the officials turning a Nelson’s eye to the issue. The shopkeepers are openly selling gutkha packets of various companies posing a challenge to the controlling authority.
In fact, the gutkha was banned by the united Andhra Pradesh in 2013. However, the ban was not effective with some states approaching the Supreme Court stating that the states have no jurisdiction to ban gutkha.
Finally, the Supreme Court ordered the ban. The gutkha manufacturers evolve ingenious ways to transport gutkha packets using vegetable trucks, milk vans and other dubious means.
Sagar gutkha, 24-Carat gutkha, Suraz Zarda, Amber, Heera and Vimal are a few of the varieties among the huge number of range available in the market.
There is no discrimination in selling these gutkha packets—they sell them even to minors in areas like Ameerpet and Afzalgunj.
The Hans India and HMTV, in a joint operation, visited various areas and collected information regarding the availability of gutkha and the godowns situated in the city.
One could find at least 10 varieties of gutkha in the pan shops at places like Ameerpet, Rehmatnagar and Krishnanagar.
Surprisingly, these gutkha factories are situated in middle of the city carrying out operations without any hindrance. The manufactured product is transported to the hundreds of wholesale dealers in the two Telugu states. From there the products reach the retail shops clandestinely.
Mostly these small scale factories and godowns are situated at Santosh Nagar, Rajendranagar, Mehdipatnam, Katedan, Sivarampalli, Bandlaguda, Jalpalli, Talabkatta and Eedi Bazaar areas in the Old City.
Chiefly, there is a huge factory located at Jahangirbad in Bandlaguda spreading on an half a acre where RR Gutkha is manufactured.
Only three days ago, the Rajendranagar police seized two lorry loads of gutkha worth Rs 30 lakh while being transported from Bidar in Karnataka to Hyderabad.
By: K Praveen Kumar
