Mumbai: The State government is contemplating making the selling of gutkha, a non-bailable offence. The government will take a final call after getting an opinion from experts. Food and Drug Minister Girish Bapat made an announcement on this issue in the Legislative Council. 

Opposition leader in council Dhananjay Munde raised the issue of sale of gutkha in the state through a calling attention move. “Despite the ban on gutkha, it is being sold in the state. In Bhiwandi, there are guthka manufacturing units and the sale is also high in the city. 

“How this is possible when there is a ban on guthka?” he asked. 
“The government will have to conduct a CID inquiry about the manufacture and sale of gutkha. If officials of FDA are involved, then Anti-Corruption Bureau should initiate inquiry against such officials,” he said.  

“Consumption of gutkha among the youngsters is a serious issue. The young generation is getting addicted to it increasing the risk of cancer,” he said. 

Madan Yerawar, Minister of State of FDA, said that the gutkha is manufactured in other states, where there is no ban on it and then smuggled into Maharashtra. State FDA had seized gutkha worth about  Rs 114.2 crore in 2012-13.