Apex court stays HC ban on gutkha in Uttar Pradesh

Union Health Minister Shatrughan Sinha said: ‘‘I welcome the SC intervention in the gutkha issue.’’ It is a good sign that issues like banning or not banning tobacco products are becoming part of a public debate, he added.

The Zafrani Zarda and Pan Masala Association of India (ZZPA) too welcomed the order. ‘‘The stay has given some hope that a decision will not be taken without considering the plight of millions dependent on this industry for livelihood,’’ ZZPA’s Ashok Aggarwal said. Sinha, admitting that tobacco is harmful to health, said: ‘‘But there can be no simplistic solutions. It is easy to say ‘ban gutkha’ or ‘ban cigarettes’. But how does one ensure people stop consuming tobacco? We must follow a multi-pronged approach and use every institution to curb this menace.”