Ranchi, July 21: The Jharkhand government on Tuesday extended the prohibition on the manufacture, storage, sale and distribution of Gutka and Pan Masala containing tobacco or nicotine as ingredients till July 25, next year.

The order signed by the Principal Secretary-cum-State Food Safety Commissioner, Nitin Kulkarni, said that under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 the ban is hereby extended for one year, up to 25-7-2021 in the interest of public health. Gutka, Pan Masala Containing Tobacco & Nicotine Banned by Assam Government For One Year.

Earlier the Jharkhand government on May 8 this year had banned manufacture, sale and storage of 11 brands of pan masala for a year saying these products contain a chemical which is harmful to the heart and can cause various diseases.

The state government had on April 22 imposed a ban on all tobacco products to prevent spitting in public places that could increase the threat of the spread of novel coronavirus infection.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)