Daijiworld Media Network – Karwar (SP)
Karwar, Jan 12: The Supreme Court has asked the union government to submit a report on the contents of gutkha packets, as well as the ill affects its consumption will have on the health of the people. Along with this, a proposal to ban the use of gutkha is also under consideration. The meeting of the areca nut cooperative institutions in the state have taken a united decision to legally fight this ban.
The meeting, held at the auditorium of TSS Institute here on Tuesday January 11, was presided over by Campco president, Konkody Padmanabha. Presidents of various arecanut growers and marketing organizations from different districts including Dakshina Kannada and Shimoga, took part in the meeting.
The Supreme Court has already banned the use of plastic while manufacturing gutkha and pan masala packets, effective from April next year. The meeting felt that the directive of the Supreme Court to the centre to get a report on the ill affects of gutkha consumption through a national public health organization indicates that it is thinking of imposing a ban on gutkha consumption. It has been decided that The Central Arecanut and Cocoa Marketting and Processing Cooperative Limited (Campco), Malnad Areca Marketting Cooperative Society (mamcos) and The Totagar’s Cooperative Sale Society (TSS) Sirsi, will approach the Supreme Court through separate petitions against the impending ban on gutkha. Addressing a press conference later, Campco chairman, Konkody Padmanabha, said that the participants decided to urge the Supreme Court to take into account the adverse impact this ban may have on lacs of people, who are dependent on areca nut crops, before arriving at a final decision.
He said that a delegation led by TSS president, Shantaram Hegde, will meet the ministers concerned and the MPs hailing from coconut growing regions, to convince the central government about the need to exercise restraint before taking hasty steps on the said ban. While assuring that Campco will contact the concerned, he asked the state government to recommend to the central government to take into consideration the interests of the areca nut growers. A delegation led by Mamcos vice president, Narasimha Nayak, will meet the state chief minister for the purpose, and the government of Kerala, where lot of areca nut growers reside, will also be sounded about the need to put it weight behind the farmers, he explained.