Continuous vigil needs on banned gutka products

• -Traders are choosing new ways
• -Vigilance and police initiated stringent steps

Srikakulam:
To prevent manufacturing, transporting and marketing of banned gutka and khaini products continuous monitoring is required across the border area with Odisha state.

AP state banned gutka and khaini products from January 2013 before division of state and later every year AP government is extending the ban period by issuing GOs. Even adjacent Odisha state also banned these products but due to lack of proper vigil by the government gutka and khaini products are manufactured by local traders at Berhampur, Rayaghada and Parlakimidi areas of Odisha state.

With the help of brokers, mediators these products are being transported and also being sold in srikakulam, Vizianagaram districts. The traders, transporters stored these goods at Itchapuram, Meliaputti, Kanchili, Palasa, Tekkali, Pathapatnam, Parvathipuram, Saluru areas of both Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts.

Every month about Rs 20 crore worth gutka and khaini products are being transported from Odisha to AP state through border areas of Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts. A sub-inspector (SI) of police worked in two-town police station made an attempt to get posting as SI at Itchapuram police station which is center point for gutka transport and it is a big revenue source to police. But the local MLA denied posting for the SI at Itchapuram even both are belonging to same caste. Later the SI posted negative comments against the MLA in their caste whatsapp group.

Vigilance officials are maintained stringent vigil on these products and booked 13 cases against manufacturers,transporters and traders in two districts Srikakulam and Vizianagaram as Srikakulam region vigilance office have jurisdiction on two states.

Criminal cases also registered against 41 accused persons in this regard at Srikakulam one-town, Amudalavalasa, Ponduru, Rajam, Pathapatnam, Etcherla, Palakonda, Veeragattam, Parvathipuram and Pusapatirega in two districts. “With an aim to prevent it we have initiated tough action against these banned products manufacturing, selling, transportation and consumption” regional vigilance officer (RVO), T.Harikrishna told this news paper. We have arrested 41 persons, seven vehicles seized and its worth is Rs21.84 crores RVO added.