Court notice to gutka-makers for using plastic pouches

The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to gutka manufacturers on an application alleging that even after the ban order restraining them from using plastic material in package sachets they were flouting the law and were still using plastic pouches.

A vacation Bench of Justices G.S. Singhvi and C.K. Prasad issued notice on the application filed by advocate Abani Kumar Sahu, who alleged that almost all the companies — Pan Parag, RMD Gutka, Dilbag Gutka, Rajashree Gutka, Rajdarabar Gutka — were flouting the order. The Bench posted the matter for final hearing on July 6.

The application said: “Even long after the cut-off date of March 1, fixed by the Supreme Court, all the gutka and pan masala manufacturers are using plastic material in package sachets to sell such product to public. It is a deliberate and ingenious flouting of the law on their part.”

Deceptive concealment

Mr. Sahu said: “Many gutka and pan masala companies continue to use regular plastic material within the outward paper packaging material to deceptively conceal the usage of such plastic material and convey a misleading picture of superficial and seemingly visible external compliance with the Supreme Court's order.”

He said that such violations could not have occurred without the active collusion or tacit connivance of the officials of the enforcement machinery of the government. He sought a direction to restrain these companies from using plastic material in their packaging sachets.