Ban on sale of gutka in plastic pouches ordered

• The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered a ban on the sale of tobacco, gutka and pan masala in plastic pouches from March 2011.
• A Bench of Justices G.S. Singhvi and A.K. Ganguly gave this interim direction during the hearing of a batch of petitions filed by manufacturers of tobacco products challenging a Rajasthan High Court order upholding such a ban in the State.
• The High Court was acting on a petition filed by the Indian Asthma Care Society to restrain gutka manufacturers from using plastic packaging material. The High Court had also ordered a forensic examination of sachets and consequent imposition of fine if plastic was found in the packaging material.
• The Supreme Court, while staying the High Court order, had also sought the Central government's views on plastic packaging for gutka. The Ministry of Environment and Forest constituted an inter-Ministerial committee to examine the environmental and health-related consequences of plastic used in pouches, containers of pan masala, gutka and other tobacco products.
• In its report, the committee said plastic pouches were not only sturdier, but also saved significant amount of energy and water and also caused lesser green house gas emission as compared to alternatives such as wood, leather, and paper metal.