Madhya Pradesh bans tobacco-mixed 'gutka'

Bhopal, April 1 (IANS) The first day of the new financial year has seen a ban on the sale of tobacco-mixed gutka in Madhya Pradesh.

Health Minister Narottam Mishra had said in the assembly some days agi that the licenses of seven gutka companies in the state have been cancelled.

And to control the increasing number of mouth cancer patients, the state government has decided to ban tobacco-mixed gutka pouches, he had announced.

A penalty of up to Rs.25,000 would be imposed on anyone selling tobacco-mixed gutka. However, there would be no ban on the sale of plain gutka.