Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur (SP)

Puttur, Feb 13: The government has decided to make it mandatory, like in the case of other tobacco products and food items, for bidis to print manufacturing and expiry dates on labels of bidi packets. Expiry date of bidis will be just two months from the date of manufacture. It has also been made it compulsory to prominently display the sign, 'Bidi smoking is injurious to health' on the packets.

The rule relating to expiry date is felt difficult to implement because bidi rolling happens to be predominantly a home industry. Raw materials are supplied to homes, where labourers prepare bidis, make packets and stick labels. The bidis undergo certain process thereafter before being sold. As there happens to be considerable gap between the date on which labels are placed and bidis are sold, it appears difficult to stick to this two-month expiry date norm, many feel.

Lacs of people in the form of labourers, those who place labels, contractors, clerks of companies, checkers etc are dependent on bidi industry. Placing more stricture on this already waning industry is expected to create problems for these people,many feel.

Leaders of Bidi labour unions, who have fought a losing battle against these steps, now insist that the government need to take into account genuine problems of bidi labourers and extend a helping hand to them in finding an alternative source of income to look after their families.