Maharashtra To Impose 'Organised Crime Act' To Ban Gutkha Sale Around School, Colleges

Despite the ban on gutkha in the state, it is still available in many places, including school and college campuses. Therefore, the government has decided to invoke the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA) to strictly enforce the gutkha ban. Necessary amendments will be made to the law as part of the proposal to implement MCOCA. Food and Drug Administration and Special Assistance Minister Narhari Zirwal stated that MCOCA will be applied to gutkha manufacturers in the coming new year.

Earlier, a proposal to apply MCOCA to gutkha manufacturers and sellers was sent to the Law and Justice Department. However, according to legal provisions, it was not applicable due to the absence of both the "harm and injury" elements. Therefore, the law will be amended to include gutkha businesses under MCOCA, and the law will be made more stringent through necessary changes, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had informed the Legislative Assembly.

Accordingly, the Food and Drug Administration Department started working on this as soon as the Nagpur winter session concluded. Minister Narhari Zirwal also stated that a special policy will be introduced to target gutkha producers, and an amendment proposal will be brought forward to address the loopholes in the law.

Minister Narhari Zirwal instructed officials to make the necessary amendments to the Gutkha Prohibition Act to make it more stringent, apply MCOCA, and send the amended proposal to the Law and Justice Department as soon as possible.