CHENNAI: The recent income-tax department’s raid had brought to light the production and sale of gutka and pan masala in Tamil Nadu, PMK youth wing leader Anbumani Ramadoss on Saturday said the state government should stop their production and sale completely. Production, storage and sale of gutka and pan masala was banned in Tamil Nadu in May 2013, but still the commodities are available for sale throughout the State, affecting youth and students, he said. The state police had been denying the allegations of sale and production of gutka and pan masala, but the income tax raid had clearly showed that they are being produced and sold in Tamil Nadu, he said.
The use of such products had not been stopped in the State as their sale and production had not been controlled, he said and pointed out that the use of such products caused mouth cancer. In Chennai alone, 4,000 patients are admitted for mouth cancer every year, he said and called for total eradication of gutka and pan masala in Tamil Nadu.
